31–40 of 78 posts
They're not dumping plastic balls in order to tackle the drought, they're being dumped because the EPA mandated that all reservoirs be covered. Direct sunlight will cause bromide and chlorine in the water to mix into bromate, a known carcinogen, and the EPA wants to prevent buildup of this compound in the drinking water supply. Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plasti…
doesn't the plastic + sunlight + heat combination release dangerous chemicals in the water? also, why are they black, doesn't that attract more heat?
They're not dumping plastic balls in order to tackle the drought, they're being dumped because the EPA mandated that all reservoirs be covered. Direct sunlight will cause bromide and chlorine in the water to mix into bromate, a known carcinogen, and the EPA wants to prevent buildup of this compound in the drinking water supply. Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plasti…
> Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plastic balls are a much cheaper option. This is what I don't get in this story. How on Earth are plastic balls cheaper than just covering the thing? One would think that a tarp would use less material and be easier to manufacture than the equivalent number of plastic balls. EDIT: Thanks for all your answers. I guess the heatwaves w…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Was the article edited after you read it? > And the primary reason for deploying the hollow balls is more to protect the quality of the water rather than to simply stop it evaporating. In the reservoir water, the naturally occurring bromide was mixing with sunlight and chlorine (added to disinfect drinking water) to create dangerous levels of the the carcinogen bromate. Shade balls should stop that harmful chemical r…
Is there any reason why you guys don't have your reservoirs underground? It seems to me that that would solve a lot of problems.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
doesn't the plastic + sunlight + heat combination release dangerous chemicals in the water? also, why are they black, doesn't that attract more heat?
That's what I thought, too. Shiny silver balls would reflect even more light, and look super-cool!
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plastic balls are a much cheaper option. This is what I don't get in this story. How on Earth are plastic balls cheaper than just covering the thing? One would think that a tarp would use less material and be easier to manufacture than the equivalent number of plastic balls. EDIT: Thanks for all your answers. I guess the heatwaves w…
> One would think that a tarp would use less material and be easier to manufacture than the equivalent number of plastic balls. How do you suspend the tarp? What about when it rains on the tarp, increasing its weight substantially? Repair the tarp when sections get damaged? UV resistance over its lifetime? Using barges/boats and dragging it from shore-to-shore is very slow going, and any suitably durable tarp (i.e. w…
The tarp would ideally need to be reflective, like a white roof on modern buildings. The rain issue is the easiest one to solve, since the tarp could be slightly perforated to allow drainage.
I wonder if a permanent structure over the lake would be easier than a tarp? Like literally building a roof.
Either way the balls seem like a solid approach.
They're not dumping plastic balls in order to tackle the drought, they're being dumped because the EPA mandated that all reservoirs be covered. Direct sunlight will cause bromide and chlorine in the water to mix into bromate, a known carcinogen, and the EPA wants to prevent buildup of this compound in the drinking water supply. Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plasti…
> Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plastic balls are a much cheaper option. This is what I don't get in this story. How on Earth are plastic balls cheaper than just covering the thing? One would think that a tarp would use less material and be easier to manufacture than the equivalent number of plastic balls. EDIT: Thanks for all your answers. I guess the heatwaves w…
They're not dumping plastic balls in order to tackle the drought, they're being dumped because the EPA mandated that all reservoirs be covered. Direct sunlight will cause bromide and chlorine in the water to mix into bromate, a known carcinogen, and the EPA wants to prevent buildup of this compound in the drinking water supply. Covering the reservoir with a tarp is too expensive (costing over $300 million) and plasti…
Was the article edited after you read it? > And the primary reason for deploying the hollow balls is more to protect the quality of the water rather than to simply stop it evaporating. In the reservoir water, the naturally occurring bromide was mixing with sunlight and chlorine (added to disinfect drinking water) to create dangerous levels of the the carcinogen bromate. Shade balls should stop that harmful chemical r…