Mussels Turn Up the Heat on Milwaukee Politicians

From September, 1994 (update #22)

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Zebra mussel infestations caused problems in two downtown Milwaukee building cooling systems late this summer. The first problem turned up in a system that uses Milwaukee River water to cool three municipal buildings, including Milwaukee City Hall. Following summer-long problems with an overheating condenser, a Labor Day inspection revealed that the cooling system was seriously fouled with zebra mussels, according to Jim Farley of Cooling Services, Inc., of Waukesha, Wis. During the Labor Day clean-out, up to eight inches of zebra mussels were found in an intake area, and one of four water pumps had to be replaced due to mussel-caused damage. The system normally operates year-round and uses four pumps to move 2,500 gallons of water per minute to the three municipal buildings, which house 3,000 employees. A similar problem developed at the 725 N. Water Street building when several cooling system condensers became clogged with zebra mussels, according to building manager Dennis Papp. The cooling system for the 16-story Water Street building also draws water directly from the Milwaukee River, which is several miles upstream from Lake Michigan. Papp had noticed that the condenser pressure was high earlier in the summer, but didn't know why until mussels were found throughout the condenser. A water intake chamber was also full of zebra mussels. The system cannot easily be chlorinated, and Papp is exploring other alternatives. Many older buildings in urban areas use raw surface water in their cooling systems, making them susceptible to similar zebra mussel clogging.

ID: 199409-8.

The Zebra Mussel Update was a 4- to 8-page quarterly national newsletter published by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute from May 1990 through May 1997. The ZMU documented the spread of the zebra mussel -- an exotic nuisance mussel -- through North America's freshwater environments, especially the Great Lakes, and on efforts to control it.