An innovative new project by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power involves using low-tech approaches to conserve water. The project comprises covering the LA Reservoir in 96 million black, so-called "shade balls".
Each shade ball costs around 36 cents, making the entire project worth as much as $34.5 million -- which is still a lower figure than other water-saving alternatives.
The shade balls doubtless make for a highly unusual strategy, but seeing as how they represent cost savings of around $250 million, they are well worth the effort. The initiative is set to prevent the loss of up to 1.4 billion liters of water to evaporation, which is enough to provide drinking water to around 8,100 residents of Los Angeles for an entire year.
Drought-Fighting Balls
These Shade Balls Reduce Evaporation From the LA Reservoir
Trend Themes
1. Water Conservation - Using shade balls to reduce evaporation represents a disruptive innovation opportunity for water conservation efforts.
2. Low-tech Solutions - The use of shade balls as a water-saving alternative demonstrates the potential for low-tech solutions in addressing environmental challenges.
3. Cost-efficient Strategies - The cost savings of using shade balls compared to other alternatives highlights the opportunity for cost-efficient strategies in water management.
Industry Implications
1. Water Management - The shade ball project presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for the water management industry to explore more efficient and cost-effective solutions.
2. Environmental Technology - The use of shade balls showcases an innovative approach within the environmental technology industry to combat water scarcity and evaporation.
3. Sustainable Infrastructure - The implementation of shade balls on reservoirs provides a sustainable infrastructure solution for reducing water loss and promoting sustainable water management.