LA releases 96 million shade balls into reservoir

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Nov 18, 2010
4,793
50,935
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#1
The Los Angeles Reservoir looks like a giant ball pit.

The city poured 96 million, black, four-inch plastic balls over the surface of its 175-acre reservoir earlier this week - the first city in the country to use shade balls to preserve its water sources, officials said.

On his cue of “balls away,” Mayor Eric Garcetti released the final 20,000 shade balls into the reservoir on Monday in the city’s effort to conserve water and maintain the reservoir’s water quality.

“By reducing evaporation, these shade balls will conserve 300 million gallons of water each year,” Garcetti told ABC station KABC. “Instead of just evaporating into the sky, that’s 300 million gallons to fight this drought.”

The Los Angeles Reservoir looks like a giant ball pit.

The city poured 96 million, black, four-inch plastic balls over the surface of its 175-acre reservoir earlier this week - the first city in the country to use shade balls to preserve its water sources, officials said.

On his cue of “balls away,” Mayor Eric Garcetti released the final 20,000 shade balls into the reservoir on Monday in the city’s effort to conserve water and maintain the reservoir’s water quality.

“By reducing evaporation, these shade balls will conserve 300 million gallons of water each year,” Garcetti told ABC station KABC. “Instead of just evaporating into the sky, that’s 300 million gallons to fight this drought.”

The shade balls can last about 10 years before the LA Department of Water and Power will remove, recycle and replace them, KABC reported.

“This is a blend of how engineering really meets common sense. We saved a lot of money, we did all the right things,” LADWP general manager Marcie Edwards told KABC.

The city was able to purchase each plastic shade ball for 36 cents each, costing the city far less than its initial $300 million estimate to cover the reservoir, according to officials.

One expensive alternative to the shade balls included splitting the reservoir into two by building a bisecting dam and using two floating covers to protect the water, officials said.

The LA Reservoir holds 3.3 billion gallons of water, which could supply water to the entire city for up to three weeks, officials said.

Mayor Garcetti’s office did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for additional comment.

Los Angeles Reservoir Covered With 96 Million Shade Balls to Conserve Water Amidst Drought - ABC News
 
Props: reo and reo

BUTCHER 206

FREE BUTCHER206
Aug 22, 2003
12,316
109,201
113
Seattle, WA
#3
Is anyone else really confused by this?

Black objects holds heat better, will this not make the plastic and black dye leak into the water over time?

Won't these balls become covered in bacteria and contaminate the water?
http://i.imgur.com/4UgYukm.gifv

Black plastic is easier to make and more stable than white plastic.

The water needs to be shaded because when sunlight mixes with the bromide and chlorine in Ivanhoe's water, the carcinogen bromate forms, said Pankaj Parekh, DWP's director for water quality compliance. Bromide is naturally present in groundwater and chlorine is used to kill bacteria, he said, but sunlight is the final ingredient in the potentially harmful mix."
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/11/431670483/la-rolls-out-water-saving-shade-balls
 
May 7, 2013
13,444
16,318
113
33°
www.hoescantstopme.biz
#4
* stop allowing hotels endless water use
* stop allowing big business endless water use, w/ exception of farming.
* stop allowing beverage companies to bottle your own water
* cut off immigration and interstate relocation entirely, specifically in areas of drought (and failing economies)
* stop dumping 150 billion gallons of water into the ocean vs putting it to use
* stop draining reservoirs for conservation of fish when there are other habitats for this
* construct viable and sustainable water retention reservoirs and dams for rainfall

just to name a few of the real issues
 

BUTCHER 206

FREE BUTCHER206
Aug 22, 2003
12,316
109,201
113
Seattle, WA
#5
* stop allowing hotels endless water use
* stop allowing big business endless water use, w/ exception of farming.
* stop allowing beverage companies to bottle your own water
* cut off immigration and interstate relocation entirely, specifically in areas of drought (and failing economies)
* stop dumping 150 billion gallons of water into the ocean vs putting it to use
* stop draining reservoirs for conservation of fish when there are other habitats for this
* construct viable and sustainable water retention reservoirs and dams for rainfall

just to name a few of the real issues
California almonds drink up 3 years worth of L.A.’s water use | Grist
 

reo

Banned
Feb 12, 2006
2,577
5,297
0
#8
This is actually one of the the smartest things they have done in a long time. The black makes it harder for algae and bacteria to attach to the plastic. Same reason why some ppl prefer black flood trays over white witch reflects light
 

reo

Banned
Feb 12, 2006
2,577
5,297
0
#10
Bottled water can seriously fuck off. It's disgusting that companies like Nestle can get away with sucking up citizens water reserves for next to nothing, then turning around and sell it right back to them.

Makes it even more disturbing that I read it takes almost 2 liters of water to produce a 1 liter bottle.
2:1 ratio is actually not bad if you consider the waste ratio on what most homes and commercial food processing uses. If you have ever used an RO filter it's closer to like 10:1


But I agree that there sourcing practices are bs
 

EVERgREENRIDER

ResidentRocketScientist
Dec 18, 2008
4,464
26,693
113
42
At the Pump
#11
* stop allowing hotels endless water use
* stop allowing big business endless water use, w/ exception of farming.
* stop allowing beverage companies to bottle your own water
* cut off immigration and interstate relocation entirely, specifically in areas of drought (and failing economies)
* stop dumping 150 billion gallons of water into the ocean vs putting it to use
* stop draining reservoirs for conservation of fish when there are other habitats for this
* construct viable and sustainable water retention reservoirs and dams for rainfall

just to name a few of the real issues
You do know that agriculture is using well over half of Californias water right?
 

EVERgREENRIDER

ResidentRocketScientist
Dec 18, 2008
4,464
26,693
113
42
At the Pump
#12
Bottled water can seriously fuck off. It's disgusting that companies like Nestle can get away with sucking up citizens water reserves for next to nothing, then turning around and sell it right back to them.

Makes it even more disturbing that I read it takes almost 2 liters of water to produce a 1 liter bottle.
Nestle is trynna come here and steal water. With their big sales pitch being the bottling operation bringing a few jobs