L.A. just dropped 96 million plastic ‘shade balls’ into its water in an attempt cope with California’s severe drought and save water and protect water quality.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti supervised the August barrage of 10cm black plastic balls into the Angeles Reservoir, bringing the total count to 96 million in the approximately 70 hectare reservoir. The reservoir holds adequate water to supply the city with drinking water for up to three weeks.
The idea behind the balls is for them to shade and cool the water, thereby reducing evaporation and making the reservoir less susceptible to bacterial growth, algae, and chemical reactions that can produce toxic matter.
It is hoped that this innovative way of thinking can do the trick, as according to reports, the shade balls, which cost only 36 cents each, can reduce evaporation by 85 to 90%. This concept has been tested on a smaller scale since 2008, and the projection is that with this latest load of balls there should be a saving of around 300 million gallons of water annually, which will provide sufficient drinking water for 8,100 people.
The treatment the water must usually undergo is also minimised as the balls inhibit microorganism growth, which is great news as it could save the city $250 million over time, according to the mayor.
The balls are manufactured of black polyethylene and have a coating which resists ultraviolet light and degradation, so they should last about 25 years, and they are filled with water so that they do not blow away.
The shade balls have previously been used in various reservoirs, including the Ivanhoe Reservoir where around 3 million black shade balls were dropped in an effort to decrease chemical reactions that were creating carcinogens such a bromate, which occurs when bromide, naturally present in groundwater, and chlorine, used to kill bacteria, react in strong sunlight.
The original idea of using these balls in the reservoirs came from now-retired LADWP biologist Brian White, who was inspired by the “bird balls†used to deter birds in ponds along runways, and this is the first time that the balls have been used on such a large scale.
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