A pilot project on Lake Rotoiti could turn algae into a useful product - while cleaning up the Bay of Plenty's waterways.
The project is designed to investigate harvesting algae from Rotorua's lakes where water quality is poor and algae and weed are growing because of excess nutrient flows.

Environment BOP in partnership with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is trying to harvest algae to make money both from the harvested product and through the sale of the technology used.

The algae can be used to make bio-fuels, fertiliser, animal and fish feed, chemicals and products, including activated carbon used in filtration and absorption products.
Environment BOP Chairman John Cronin says the New Zealand based Aquaflow technology being tested could have many benefits for waterways.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is a funder for the project and believes it has significant export opportunity.
"There is considerable international demand for technologies that can clean up waterways," says Dr Chris Boalch.
"New Zealand could become a leader in the application of new technologies to environmental management, and in the development of environmental solutions for problems associated with intensive agriculture."
The Lake Rotoiti project is officially opened on Thursday, May 27 and follows last year's successful 3000 tonne algae harvest of Lake Rotoehu.