FARGO--The invasive zebra mussel has expanded its territory in the Red River and even latched on to the screen of Fargo's water intake point in the river.
Troy Hall, the city's water utility director, said Friday that the discovery of a zebra mussel at the intake point on Thursday was concerning, but that there are ways to prevent the mussel from damaging the city's water system.
If the zebra mussels multiply, he said, they could block the screens and make it difficult for water from the river to flow to the city's water treatment plant. The mussels could also grow inside the pipes and clog them.
Hall said water plants across the country deal with this issue and there are solutions. He said small doses of chemical injections inside the piping prevents the spread of the mussels.
ADVERTISEMENT
The screens at the river intake point can also be coated with a material that repels the mussels, he said.
"It's not a problem at this point," he said.
