Technology- How the Aqua Clarifier Works

Aqua Clarifier™: Water Clarification System.

A Portable, Patented Solution That Removes Harmful Algal Blooms, Nutrients, and Contaminants Permanently — Delivering Sustainable Results Backed by Field and Lab Testing

The Aqua Clarifier Water Clarification System is a patented, environmentally friendly water clarification system that removes harmful algal blooms (HABs), excess nutrients, bacteria, oil, grease, and other contaminants from lakes, ponds, rivers, and industrial waters.

Unlike traditional chemical treatments that only provide temporary relief, the Aqua Clarifier Water Clarification System achieves permanent pollutant removal. By removing contaminants entirely from the water column, it helps restore ecosystems, improve water quality, and reduce the need for repeated chemical applications.

🌊Process Overview

The Aqua Clarifier™ Water Clarification System combines proven technology with Clear Waterways’ proprietary quiet zone design. All treatment happens inside the unit, ensuring safety and efficiency:

  • Air Saturation – Tiny microbubbles attach to algae, nutrient-bound particles, and suspended solids.
  • Flotation – Pollutants rise to the surface, forming a concentrated layer.
  • Skimming & Capture – Contaminants are physically removed and collected onboard.
  • Clarified Water Return – Clean, treated water is discharged back into the lake, pond, or river.
  • Optional Chemistry – When needed for nutrient management, small doses of potable-grade coagulant are applied within the contained system. The coagulant binds with dissolved nutrients and is fully captured along with the solids — never left in the environment.
  • All treatment occurs inside the Aqua Clarifier Water Clarification System, ensuring that when chemistry is used, it never remains in the lake or tributary. Both contaminants and coagulant are removed together, leaving cleaner water behind.
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Key Features

  • Dual Operating Modes
    • Air-only mode for effective treatment of active blooms without chemicals.
    • Low-dose potable chemistry mode for non-bloom conditions and ongoing nutrient interception.
  • Proprietary Quiet Zone
    • Creates an optimized environment inside the system for rapid separation of clean water from pollutants.
  • Proven Results

The Aqua Clarifier Water Clarification System has demonstrated strong performance in both field and bench-scale studies:

Field Testing – Pontoosuc Lake (Pittsfield, MA): Air-only treatment achieved ~74–80% reductions in nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended solids.

  • Portable & Scalable
    • Designed for deployment at remote sites, tributaries, marinas, and inflows.
    • Scalable from pilot (70 GPM) to V2 (200 GPM, 2026) and multi-unit fleets.
  • Environmentally Friendly
    • Achieves significant results with air only.
    • When chemistry is applied, it is safe, potable-grade, and fully removed onboard.
  • Patented Process

Key Advantages

  • Environmentally Responsible: Removes pollutants from the water column instead of simply sinking them. Chemistry is optional, and when used, treatment solids and associated nutrients are captured into a recoverable sludge stream.
  • Proven Performance: Field pilot testing has demonstrated strong results, including up to 96% phosphorus removal, 88% TKN removal, and approximately 89% cyanobacteria density reduction, with additional successful air-only pilot results showing meaningful nutrient and solids removal.
  • Scalable: Successfully demonstrated in a portable field system operating at approximately 70–75 GPM, with next-generation development targeting approximately 200 GPM and a pathway to larger commercial or multi-unit systems.
  • Flexible Deployment: Designed for targeted use in tributaries, inflows, marinas, coves, and bloom-prone zones, allowing treatment where algae, nutrients, and suspended contaminants are most concentrated.
Blue-Green Algae bloom in the water.

Process Overview – Aqua Clarifier Water System

➡️ All treatment occurs inside the Aqua Clarifier Water System, ensuring that when chemistry is used, it never remains in the lake or tributary. Both contaminants and coagulant are removed together, leaving cleaner water behind.

  • Air Saturation: Microbubbles attach to algae, nutrient-bound particles, and suspended solids.
  • Flotation: Contaminants are lifted to the surface for separation.
  • Skimming & Capture: Pollutants are removed from the water column and collected onboard.
  • Return: Clarified water is discharged back into the environment.
  • Optional Chemistry: When needed, small, potable-grade doses of approved coagulants are applied within the contained system. These bind with dissolved phosphorus and are fully captured with the solids.