Searcy Water
Location: Searcy, Arkansas
Capacity: 20 million gallons per day
Installed: 2018
Searcy Water
Location: Searcy, Arkansas
Capacity: 20 million gallons per day
Installed: 2018
Overview
Searcy Water Utilities (SWU) in Searcy, Arkansas, serves several communities in northern Arkansas and treats roughly 20 million gallons of water per day drawn from the Little Red River. The facility operates 11 open basins that help condition, blend, and settle particulates before distribution.
Like many municipal water treatment plants, SWU struggled with biofilm and algae growth on basin walls—forcing operators to shut down basins every few weeks for cleaning, diverting operations, and increasing costs.
The Challenge
In the summer months, biofilm growth accelerated, creating maintenance headaches and limiting operational efficiency. Basins had to be scrubbed every 30 days, and traditional solutions like chemical cleaning or frequent downtime were both costly and disruptive.
Scotty Boggs, General Manager at SWU, began searching for a better way to keep the basins clean without increasing maintenance labor or introducing more chemicals into the system.
The Solution
Boggs first encountered SonicPure’s ultrasonic technology at a water quality conference. Intrigued by the concept of using ultrasound to disrupt algae and biofilm, he decided to test the approach on two of SWU’s 11 basins, designating a third basin as a control.
The trial proved so effective that SWU ultimately equipped all of its basins with ultrasound. Each system uses targeted frequencies to prevent biofilm and algae formation on basin walls, eliminating the need for chemicals and reducing manual cleaning frequency. Installation required no external contractors or complex modifications—SWU staff installed the devices themselves.
“From an operator’s standpoint, nothing can touch it. It’s not chemical, there’s no residual product to test, no continual cost, and no maintenance issues. We just plug it in and forget it.”
- Scotty Boggs, General Manager SWU
Since deploying SonicPure ultrasound, Searcy Water Utilities has:
- Halved cleaning intervals—from 30 to 60 days or more
- Reduced chemical use to nearly zero in affected basins
- Eliminated shutdowns previously required for scouring biofilm buildup
- Maintained clarity and operational uptime all summer long
The Arkansas Department of Health reviewed the system and approved its ongoing use, noting its environmentally safe and non-chemical.
“Its worked out pretty good for us,” Boggs said. “The technology just made sense—and it’s been reliable ever since we put the first one in”
The Challenge
The Solution
Boggs first encountered SonicPure’s ultrasonic technology at a water quality conference. Intrigued by the concept of using ultrasound to disrupt algae and biofilm, he decided to test the approach on two of SWU’s 11 basins, designating a third basin as a control.
The trial proved so effective that SWU ultimately equipped all of its basins with ultrasound. Each system uses targeted frequencies to prevent biofilm and algae formation on basin walls, eliminating the need for chemicals and reducing manual cleaning frequency. Installation required no external contractors or complex modifications—SWU staff installed the devices themselves.
“From an operator’s standpoint, nothing can touch it. It’s not chemical, there’s no residual product to test, no continual cost, and no maintenance issues. We just plug it in and forget it.”
- Scotty Boggs, General Manager SWU
Since deploying SonicPure ultrasound, Searcy Water Utilities has:
- Halved cleaning intervals—from 30 to 60 days or more
- Reduced chemical use to nearly zero in affected basins
- Eliminated shutdowns previously required for scouring biofilm buildup
- Maintained clarity and operational uptime all summer long
The Arkansas Department of Health reviewed the system and approved its ongoing use, noting its environmentally safe and non-chemical.
“Its worked out pretty good for us,” Boggs said. “The technology just made sense—and it’s been reliable ever since we put the first one in”
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