Shade Balls Save Water

California is always looking for ways to save water, and Los Angeles has just introduced a novel, inexpensive way to do so.  Shade balls.  96 million shade balls have just been dumped into the Los Angeles River.  They cover the water and keep water from evaporating and becoming polluted.  At 36 cents a piece, this is a relatively easy way to save water.  The amount of water saved by the shade balls is the equivalent of drinking water for a year for 8,100 residents.

This is part of a $34.5 million project in Los Angeles to protect water quality.  After doing their job for ten years, the balls will be removed, recycled and replaced with new shade balls. The balls are made from high density polyethylene (similar to a gallon milk jug).  At some point they will lose their structural integrity and could split at the seams.  The idea was introduced by Brian White, a biologist with the DWP.  He based his idea on "bird balls," something he observed in waterways near airport runways.  He's thinking outside the box.  This idea is not new.  It's been used in other California reservoirs since 2008.  Hopefully with the exposure it is getting now, it will be introduced in other areas.  Water is a precious commodity, and any idea that can reduce water loss is greatly appreciated by us all.