How Fortress Mussel Control Helped Protect Lake Georgetown from Zebra Mussels

Texas Utility Shows How Zebra Mussel Control Works — And Why Proactive Solutions Matter

News reports across the country highlight the ongoing struggles many communities face with invasive species. Georgetown, Texas, is one such case. A news report from 2025 highlighted a major improvement in the ongoing battle against invasive zebra mussels in Texas freshwater systems, specifically Lake Georgetown. The article goes in depth, showing how effective technology can protect critical water infrastructure.

Zebra mussels are one of the most aggressive aquatic invasive species in North America, capable of reproducing rapidly, clogging water intake systems, and damaging infrastructure used for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial supply. Once established, they’re notoriously difficult to eradicate and can survive frigid winter weather, making them a year-round threat.

In the Texas case, Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District, or Brushy Creek MUD, started using ONG’s proprietary Fortress Mussel Control System. After installing Fortress Mussel Control Systems copper ion generator treatment system, Brushy Creek MUD reported that zebra mussels have been eradicated from its raw water intake for drinking water, even though the mussels still persist seasonally in the lake itself. This highlights two key points:

1. Mussels can be controlled in the infrastructure even if they're present in raw water.

Although zebra mussels remain present in many Texas lakes and their larvae are highly resilient, targeted technologies can keep them from fouling intake screens, pipes, and pumps.

2. Surviving winter weather means the threat isn’t gone.

The fact that these invasive mussels can withstand cold, damp conditions outside the water demonstrates that ongoing protection, not one-time fixes, is essential for utilities and industries that rely on raw water systems. 

Where ONG Solutions Fit In

That’s where ONG Fouling Control Specialists’ expertise derived from many decades of experience with raw water intake fouling problems and Fortress Mussel Control Systems become especially relevant. 

Fortress Mussel Control Systems

Fortress Mussel Control Systems copper ion generators use advanced industrial-grade ionization technology to prevent mussel attachment and colonization in raw water intake systems. Fortress Mussel Control Systems are engineered: 

• Exclusively with Patented CU-Dose technology delivering consistent copper ion dosing even with changing water conditions, offering effective control without chemical over- or under-treatment. 

• To provide a multi-pronged protection modality; effective against mussel at all stages, from veligers to adults

• To provide residual protection preventing mussels from inhabiting your raw water transmission line during intermittent pumping.

Why Mussel Prevention Matters

The Texas news illustrates a larger reality: zebra mussels are widespread and resilient, and they’re not going away on their own. Lake-wide treatment approaches are cost-prohibitive and often, control is temporary. Utilities can’t afford to wait for infestations to reach crisis levels. Municipal infrastructure needs proactive, continuous control measures to safeguard water-delivery systems. Fortress Mussel Control Systems copper ion generators offer that kind of reliable protection. 

The Future of Cleaner Water

As invasive mussels continue to be detected in more bodies of water, adopting effective defense strategies, such as Fortress Mussel Control Systems copper ion generators, will be an important tool for ensuring reliable delivery of critical utilities such as water. For long-term mussel control solutions, look to Fortress Mussel Control Systems copper ion generators.   

Visit our Fortress Mussel Control Systems page to learn more about the science behind prevention, and explore our engineered Copper Dosing Technology.