Million Plastic Balls Now Protect Drinking Water

Los Angeles has filled its water reservoir with shade balls, turning it into a giant ball pit as part of a massive water conservation project.

Tens of thousands of shade balls have been released into a California reservoir to combat the state’s drought, creating mesmerising images and video. A shade ball, which sounds like it could be a Pokemon move, is actually a clever water-cleaning device: Each one reduces evaporation, protects against animals and dirt, and costs a mere 36 cents.

Among some of their benefits, the Los Angeles Daily News says they prevent the reservoir’s water from evaporation and pollution by wildlife. City officials say shade balls last about 10 years. It will be the first utility company to use this technology for water quality protection, highlighting the city’s leadership in addressing sustainability challenges.

“In the midst of California’s historic drought, it takes bold ingenuity to maximize my goals for water conservation”, he said.

The idea was conceived in 2007 in an effort to prevent the reservoir becoming contaminated with bromate, a substance formed when chemicals in the water react with sunlight.

City councilmember Mitchell Englander said: “As the drought continues, it has never been more important to focus on innovative ways to maintain the highest quality drinking water for our 4 million residents”. But thanks to shade balls, the bill was cut down to just $34.5 million. “We have previously looked at the effect of the shade balls on temperature both of the water and of the local climate”. Since White’s innovation in 2008, the LADWP has employed shade balls on open-air reservoirs to block sunlight, prevent chemical reactions and curtail algae blooms.

“This is a blend of how engineering really meets common sense”, Marcie Edwards, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said at the news conference Tuesday, according to ABC 7 “We saved a lot of money, we did all the right things”.