Fox News recently criticized the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (LADWP) decision to put millions of shade balls into the LA Reservoir as a “potential disaster,” reported RawStory. The network’s reports were so crazy, that the LADWP issued a press released directed at Fox News, debunking the network’s false expert analysis.
The LADWP deployed 96 million black shade balls into the LA Reservoir to scale back the evaporation of the reservoir’s water supply because of the drought. There 3.3 billion gallons of water in the LA Reservoir, and the black shade balls will protect an estimated 300 million gallons from evaporation. Fox News resorted to their usual fear-mongering tactics.
The network brought in false experts who had no experience or knowledge of water utilities and said the black balls will do more harm than good. They said shade balls will accelerate bacterial growth while heating up the water source. The LADWP issued a statement debunking Fox News’ false claims.
“These ‘doom and gloom’ theories are nonsense, and quite frankly, flat out wrong,”said Marty Adam, Senior Assistant GM of the Water System. “LADWP’s water quality strategies and investments in our water infrastructure all ensure that we serve the highest quality, most reliable drinking to our customers.”
“Furthermore, the reservoir’s size and depth and flow-thru operations are able to keep the water cool,” he added. “In fact, our staff has verified that the temperature of the water flowing out of LA Reservoir is half a degree cooler than the water that goes into it after filtration and UV disinfection.”
So much for being the “most trusted” news network. This is Fox News’ bread and butter; keep the public afraid of everything and keep the ratings high.
