I took a boat through 96 million black plastic balls on the Los Angeles reservoir to find out why they’re there. The first time I heard about shade balls the claim was they reduce evaporation. But it turns out this isn’t the reason they were introduced.
Huge thanks to LADWP for arranging this special tour for me. Next time let’s put the GoPro on the submersible!
The balls are made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is less dense than water so they float on the surface of the reservoir even if they break apart. They are 10cm (4 inches) in diameter and contain about 210ml of water. So the main reason they are on the reservoir is to block sunlight from entering the water and triggering a chemical reaction that turns harmless bromide into carcinogenic bromate. This effect occurs with prolonged exposure to bromate so regulators insist that levels be kept below 10 microgram per liter on average over a 12 month period.
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters! Join this community to help us keep our videos free, forever:
https://ve42.co/PatreonDEB
Thanks to:
Las Virgenes Reservoir for footage of initial shade ball dump
Euro-Matic for bird into jet-engine footage
Researched and Produced by Casey Rentz
Animations by Maria Raykova
Music from http://epidemicsound.com “Colorful Animation 4” “Seaweed”
And from Kevin MacLeod “Marty Gots a Plan”
This is an educational video about the science of water quality.
source
Because 48,000,000 black men are swimming in it
5:37 Dude "Bird Balls" was an awful name. I am glad they changed it to shade balls!
This video has surpassed the number of balls in viewers now 😊
It's there to help you walk on water.
Who else is from searching lily Phillips
you can disintegrate with your mind. Everyone should try it!!! All remove mercury from around balls and in your airways. they have sewage, urine, gasoline, magnetics in airways and much more. The mind can remove it! Check percentage there with mind..it will lessen.
MERCURY!
Puts into perspective how much a billion is and how no human possibly ever needs or deserves that much money
5:50 dude, that poor bird 😢🕊🪦
I LOVE BALL WATER 😊
*hah*
*BALLS*
10k ❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉
So I can say I have drank ball water before without lying!!
Not sustainable … more plastic
I love balls!
The forbidden ballpit
Because Black is the color of the sun
Fascinating ! Thanks for sharing !.
"It's actually cooler under the ~shade~ balls"…
The birds left… I'd love an update on this. Seems toxic. I wonder what the testings have been since.
Are they made of plastic?
And by now the half life of the balls is over😅
How they gonna describe the birds as loiterers😂
great video
Imagine falling from the skies and landing on them 🥶🥶
the birds fear the balls!
Small YouTubers gather here and grow fast hit me let's go
Wow
Huh, I would’ve thought they were used to reduce evaporation, very interesting stuff
I'm willing to bet the pelosi family got in early on shade balls stock. Lol
0:55 ahh, the golden catchphrase
Idk I just really want to run my hands through that water to feel the balls
Too much of black balls
Don't tell Kim Kardashian about this
pov taking my grandpa to the nba for the first time 0:57
LAME. 👎👎
U did it but how to clean it 💀
Boba. And caviar.
dont drive boat in reservevior
the real question is why am i watching this video , later
The balls only have 5 more years
He’s proud of his balls