NutrientNet
Runoff to Renewal
Our Mission
Algae in lakes and rivers are usually beneficial, playing a vital role in aquatic ecosystems. However, excessive algae growth can be harmful. Cyanobacteria, a freshwater algae, can produce toxins that contaminate drinking water and cause illness. These blooms can also poison fish and create oxygen-depleted “dead zones” when the algae die and decompose.
After a storm, rainwater flows over our lawns, streets, and agricultural fields into storm drains and waterways, eventually emptying into rivers and lakes with little to no filtering. Along the way, it collects nutrients from fertilizers, such as phosphates: key contributors to harmful algae blooms.
From Oregon, we witnessed the problem first hand in the Willamette river. That’s why we created NutrientNet,to protect our freshwater ecosystems and make sure our lawns don’t feed our lakes.
Our Method
NutrientNet is a low-cost and easy-to-deploy filtration system designed to remove phosphates from agricultural and urban runoff before they reach lakes and rivers. By intercepting nutrient pollution at its source, NutrientNet helps prevent harmful algal blooms (HABs), which threaten drinking water and aquatic life. This proactive approach reduces long-term environmental damage while supporting healthier freshwater ecosystems and communities.
The system relies alum sludge: a byproduct formed through the process of filtering out particles in waste treatment plants. The compounds of aluminum hydroxide and iron oxide in the sludge bind and remove a fertilizer’s phosphates through a natural process known as phosphorus fixation. As runoff water flows through the filter, dissolved phosphorus is captured and retained, which limits the nutrients available to fuel toxic algae growth and improving overall water quality.
Mia Yasukawa
PRODUCT ENGINEER
Our Team
Meera Mohit
HEAD OF SOFTWARE
Xinyu Luo
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Ellie Tyler
PRODUCT ENGINEER
Chloe Zheng
RESEARCH DIRECTOR
Harmful algal blooms now affect all 50 U.S. states and much of the world, costing cities millions of dollars each year and causing widespread ecological and economic damage. Additionally cities have spent over $1 billion dollars since 2010 trying to address recurring algal blooms, and billions more have been lost in fishing & wildlife industries.
Designed for municipalities, HOAs, golf courses, agricultural operations, and public parks, NutrientNet offers a compact, affordable stormwater filtration solution that requires no specialized expertise to install. As cities look toward the future of sustainable water management, NutrientNet will be there as an essential piece to building healthier, more adaptable communities.
