WATCH ABOVE: A simple solution is helping to preserve around 300 million gallons of water in L.A. Officials on Wednesday helped toss the last of the 96 million so-called “shade balls” into the Los Angeles reservoir. John Blackstone reports.
California is dealing with a severe drought problem by using millions of little, black, plastic balls.
Parts of the state are using what are called “shade balls” to protect California waters. The floating, four-inch balls, which cost 36 cents each, help to control water quality, prevent litter and reduce evaporation by blocking the hot California sun.
“By reducing evaporation, these shade balls will conserve 300 million gallons of water each year instead of just evaporating into the sky. That’s 300 million gallons to fight this drought,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a press conference.
On Wednesday, L.A. city officials added the remaining 20,000 of the 96 million shade balls into the Los Angeles Reservoir.
“That’s enough water for 2,700 average homes in Los Angeles,” said Richard Harasick, an engineer with L.A.’s department of water and power, to CBS.
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Shade-balling L.A. water isn’t a new concept. In fact, the city began using these black balls in 2008, which now also cover the Upper Stone, Elysian and Ivanhoe reservoirs.
The drought in California is said to be historic, with 95 per cent of the state suffering from warm, dry weather.
And California, for now, seems to be on the ball when it comes to dealing with the drought problem.
With files from the Associated Press
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