PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Humane Society has joined NBCUniversal Local's 12 th annual pet adoption and donation campaign, Clear The Shelters Presented by Hill's Pet Nutrition, which is scheduled for Aug. 1 to 31.
As part of the nationwide initiative, NBC and Telemundo stations partner with animal shelters and rescues in their communities to promote pet adoption and raise funds that support their animal welfare operations. Since its 2015 inception, Clear The Shelters has helped more than 1.3 million pets find new homes and has raised more than $5.6 million for participating shelters and rescues.
"We are once again so excited to partner with NBC-and Telemundo to highlight so many awesome animals that need great homes," Berkshire Humane Executive Director John Perreault said. "It's a great time of year to adopt. So, please stop by the Dr. John Reynolds Adoption and Education Center, Pittsfield, and Purradise, Great Barrington, to see some amazing companion animals."
Donations to individual shelters can be made directly on their website www.berkshirehumane.org or from Aug. 1 to 31 at ClearTheSheltersFund.org
Hill's Pet Nutrition, a global leader in science-based pet nutrition and leading supporter of animal welfare, is returning as the campaign's national sponsor for the ninth consecutive campaign. For the first time, Hill's is serving as the presenting sponsor of Clear The Shelters this year.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Pittsfield Man Creates Device to Clear Lakes of Algae Blooms
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
Marc Bellora holds a jar of lake water, left, to compare to water cleaned by his Aqua Clarifier Water System.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Marc Bellora has high hopes for a device he's created to treat lakes from harmful algae blooms.
His patented water clarifier can physically remove captured material rather than letting the nutrient-rich material settle back into the lake, which occurs when herbicides are used.
"It's a long-term lake management tool that can be used to reduce legacy nutrients in lakes and ponds over time," he explained. "We built the prototype, this is a prototype. It does approximately 65 to 70 gallons per minute. It's very environmentally friendly. Can be used with air only, or we can use a low-dose potable polyaluminum chloride (PACL) or chemical on board that can help improve results."
The water clarifier barge is based on well-proven technology for water treatment, he said. "It's a self-contained, portable, mobile unit that removes algae blooms, nitrogen, phosphorus, and the associated nitrogen and phosphorus within lakes."
Bellora founded Clear Waterways Group with business partner Mark Simon. They built a prototype mobile unit and are still working out the kinks. It's taken Bellora about five years to bring the project to fruition as he is also a full-time Realtor.
He says the repurposed barge they use has a device that uses air to filter the water to separate harmful bacteria or uses a chemical at low doses. They are testing both to see how well each does at cleaning the water.
"They would do the same thing here, except they would spray it, and it blocks all that stuff together," Bellora said of the use of herbicides. "But then it drops to the bottom. So now all the nutrients that are attached in that plot go to the bottom and contribute to the legacy nutrients only to fuel next year's bloom. Ours removes it."
He said just using air alone has removed 70 to 90 percent of harmful algae where he has been operating on the south end of Pontoosuc Lake.
"Essentially, we take in the bad stuff, we take in the lake water. We separate the good stuff from the bad stuff. Clean water goes back into the lake, and the bad stuff can either be composted, or it can be taken to the wastewater treatment plant, which is what we're doing here," he said.
Bellora explained that tiny air bubbles attach to particles in the water, making them buoyant so they rise and can be removed. The unit can operate with air alone, or with a low dose of potable polyaluminum chloride.
PACL helps through flocculation: it gathers small particles into larger clumps that are easier for air bubbles to capture. He said this can help remove dissolved nutrients that air alone may not capture as effectively.
Bellora said he was inspired to build something like this after noticing the lakes he enjoys being shut down because of algae blooms.
The city issued a health advisory for Pontoosuc in August, warning residents not to swim or come in contact with the lake water because of an algae bloom. The cyanobacteria can cause skin irritations, vomiting and diarrhea and nerve or liver problems.
Bellora previously worked for a company that used traditional dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems to treat water. In that role, he traveled around the country to work at paper mills and food-processing plants.
That experience gave him a practical understanding of DAF, and while flying between jobs, he would see green ponds and wonder whether the technology could be adapted to treat lakes.
His water clarifier can physically remove captured material rather than letting the nutrient-rich material settle back into the lake, which occurs when herbicides are used.
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