The Shade Balls In California Actually Worked To Protect Water

In 2015, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power dumped 95 million “shade balls” into the Los Angeles Reservoir to protect the water from things like dust, animals and the sun. One year later, the city has deemed these shade balls a success, Business Insider reports.

By attracting UV rays, these balls helped prevent the water from evaporating. It is unknown how much water was actually saved, but LA mayor Eric Garcetti had previously said the balls were expected to save over 300 million gallons of water. These shade balls also helped save the city money. Each plastic ball cost 36 cents, which was far less expensive than a proposed change to the reservoir that totaled over $300 million.

Given the drought in California, it seems that these shade balls really came in handy. However, despite the shade balls’ success, it is reportedly the last time the LADWP will be using them. It’ll be interesting to see if other municipalities incorporate shade balls in their attempts to save water.

Watch to learn more about LA’s use of shade balls: