1. Los Angeles officials have come up with a surprisingly low-tech way to fight the region’s water crisis: mil-
2. lions of floating plastic balls.
3. As part of a $34.5 million project, the city’s Department of Water and Power has released nearly 100 mil-
4. lion of so-called “shade balls” into three local reservoirs ∈ recent months. The layer of balls protects water from
5. algae formation, dust, rain and wildlife.
6. Perhaps more importantly, the black balls also help to prevent evaporation. According to Los Angeles
7. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the balls could conserve 300 million gallons of reservoir water each year – water that Cali-
8. fornia desperately needs.
9. On a chemical level, the balls prevent the production of bromate, a suspected carcinogen. Bromate forms
10. when naturally occurring bromite reacts with added chlorine and sunlight.
11. Shade balls will likely become a permanent fixture atop reservoirs. This particular batch will be deployed
12. for decade, after which time they will be removed, recycled and replaced.
13. “LADWP’s innovative use of shade balls will protect our water supply and ensure that residents have
14. access to clean, safe, and ready-to-drink water. As we work to ensure a more sustainable and resilient future
15. for L.A., I look forward to more creative, pioneering and cost-effective solutions,” Los Angeles Council member
16. Felipe Fuentes, chair of the city’s Energy and Environment Committee, said ∈a news release.
Disponível em http://www.discovery.com/dscovrd/tech/millions-of-shade-balls-to-prevent-evaporation-in-california-reservoirs/.
Acesso em 09 de out. 2015. Adaptação.
Conforme o texto, a expectativa é de que, após 10 anos,
