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Each shade ball costs 36 cents.

The balls are considered a cost-effective way to conserve water and ensure drinking water quality. They block much of the sunlight from hitting the water, which protects it from chemical reactions that could cause algae blooms and other environmental exposures.

The LA Reservoir contains more than 3.3 billion gallons of water. Officials estimate the balls will keep 300 million gallons from evaporating each year.

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Peggy Harris (foreground) stocks the shelves at Sandy's IGA, which is the only grocery store in town, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Sparta. Hancock County has one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in the country. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC