A high-pressure stream of 140-degree water is enough to cook a zebra mussel, not to mention blast it to bits.
Blasting zebra mussels with a stream of hot water is another way to prevent their spread. Photo: acodring (flickr)
With the Mobile Decontamination Machine at its side, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is flexing its arm in the zebra mussel battle. Instead of relying on chemicals, bacteria or toxins covered in fat to manage the invasive species, the department is adopting a physical attack.
Hot water is pumped through boats’ bilge lines to kill and flush out the mussels, which often live in bilge water and the underside of the boats. When boats travel from lake to lake, they can deposit the mussels and spread the invasion.
But not anymore, if more boaters opt to have their boats sprayed with the Mobile Decontamination Machine. Maybe an edgier name, like the Mobile Mussel Destruction Palace would help drum up enthusiasm.