How much does one shade ball cost?
Los Angeles covered its main reservoir with 96 million shade balls, black polyethylene spheres floating on the water. Each costs $0. Its function: to block sunlight, reduce the formation of bromate (a carcinogenic compound), and curb evaporation. The concept of Shade Ball originated in the United States, specifically in California. The state has endured years of drought, making water particularly valuable. In 2015, the city of Los Angeles released millions of shade balls in its reservoirs to protect drinking water and reduce evaporation.Shade balls are small plastic spheres made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with carbon black additive floated on top of a reservoir for environmental reasons. They are about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, and are partially filled with water to avoid being blown by wind.
What happened to shade balls?
Since shade balls have stayed on the Los Angeles Reservoir since 2015, they are likely now starting to save more water than they cost to produce. The LA Department of Water and Power said they plan to keep shade balls as a permanent solution to water quality issues on the Los Angeles, replacing them every 10 years. XavierC, LLC specializes in the manufacture of ballasted plastic conservation balls (shade balls) used as floating covers to reduce water evaporation in reservoirs. The conservation balls provide a cost effective, low maintenance solution for Cities and Municipalities, and other reservoir operators including ski areas.
What are the disadvantages of shade balls?
Shade balls, while effective at limiting sunlight and evaporation, have underlying issues tied to their material composition and lifecycle. These plastic spheres may degrade over time, potentially leaching harmful chemicals into the water supply, which raises concerns about water safety and environmental health. My career highlight so far has been leading the installation of shade balls – an innovation which blocks UV rays and reduces algae growth in bodies of water – at Didmarton Water Recycling Centre in Gloucestershire, which was the first application of this product in the UK water industry.
What is the point of shade balls in a pool?
Shade balls contribute to reducing the effects of evaporation by reducing the water surface area exposed to the sun, and by reducing the flow of wind above the water surface. By being used to separate the water from the heat of the sun, the average temperature of the surface water is going to be kept lower, and therefore, there is going to be less evaporation and you will save a lot of water.