Global Environmental Solutions, LLC (GES) is pleased to announce the launch of EnviroBalls™, a line of engineered floating water cover systems built for water utilities, industrial operators, and aviation facility managers. Made in the USA from UV-stabilized HDPE, EnviroBalls™ reduce evaporation loss, emissions, and water quality degradation from open water systems, issues that represent significant and often under-addressed operational costs for utilities and industrial operators. EnviroBalls™ are practical, durable, and easily deployable to support infrastructure operators.
What Are EnviroBalls™?
Sometimes referred to as shade balls, bird balls, or evaporation control balls, EnviroBalls™ are hollow, spherical floating cover balls made from UV-stabilized high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for managing open water systems. EnviroBalls™ form a continuous, self-adjusting surface barrier that floats freely on the water surface, reducing evaporation, blocking UV radiation, limiting chemical off-gassing, and keeping wildlife away. EnviroBalls™ are designed as a modular, rapidly deployable alternative to fixed cover systems that require anchoring, framing, and structural support. At full deployment, EnviroBalls™ form a near-continuous floating layer, with individual spheres naturally forming a dense packing arrangement that minimizes exposed water surface.
That flexibility is a big part of their appeal. Coverage can be added in phases as budgets allow, adjusted as conditions change, and deployed quickly without the lead times that come with custom rigid covers. Across reservoirs, industrial tanks, and airport stormwater ponds, the result is consistent, reliable surface coverage with very little ongoing maintenance.
Key product features:
- UV-stabilized HDPE for long-term outdoor and chemical exposure durability
- Hollow sphere design for buoyancy and maximum surface coverage
- Consistent wall thickness and weight, verified through quality control
- Modular and scalable, add or remove coverage as needs change
- No framing, anchoring, or liner required
- Made in USA
EnviroBalls™ Applications
Water Infrastructure: Reservoir Covers and Municipal Water Systems
Open water reservoirs take a beating. Evaporation cuts into water supply, sunlight drives algae growth, and rising water temperatures increase the cost of chemical treatment. For utilities managing drinking water reservoirs, wastewater lagoons, or stormwater detention ponds, those problems compound over time and show up in operating budgets.
EnviroBalls™ floating water covers address all of this from the surface down. Covering up to 98% of the water surface (application-dependent), the balls block UV radiation, slow phytoplankton and algae growth, reduce water temperature, and cut evaporation by up to 80 percent. For many operators, evaporation loss and treatment costs represent a measurable and recurring operating expense, making surface coverage solutions a key option for reducing costs. Customers often report meaningful reductions in water treatment costs after deployment.
Common water infrastructure applications:
- Drinking water reservoirs and raw water storage
- Treated water storage tanks and clear wells
- Wastewater treatment lagoons and oxidation ponds
- Stormwater retention basins and detention ponds
- Irrigation storage ponds and agricultural water reserves
Industrial Applications: Tank Covers, Acid Mist Suppression, and Process Protection
Industrial process tanks present a different set of problems, and in some cases, dangerous ones. Open tanks in mining, chemical processing, and metals production can generate hazardous vapors, lose process chemicals to evaporation, and create ongoing compliance headaches. EnviroBalls™ float directly on the liquid surface, reducing exposure area and the problems that come with it.
The clearest example is acid mist control in copper electrowinning. Open electrolyte tanks produce sulfuric acid mist that corrodes equipment, creates health risks for workers, and draws regulatory attention. EnviroBalls™ cover the exposed electrolyte surface and suppress mist generation at the source, without adding equipment or disrupting the electrochemical process.
Industrial applications include:
- Copper electrowinning and solvent extraction tanks (acid mist suppression)
- Mining process water ponds and tailings impoundments
- Chemical storage and process tanks
- Oil and gas produced water containment
- Industrial wastewater lagoons and evaporation ponds
- Plating bath tanks and surface treatment systems
For industrial operators, the economics are straightforward. EnviroBalls™ cost less than rigid covers, install faster, and require less ongoing attention. They hold up in chemically aggressive environments where other cover solutions fail, and they scale easily when tank configurations change.
Aviation and Wildlife Control: Bird Balls for Airport Stormwater Ponds
Open water near airports is a wildlife hazard. Stormwater ponds, retention basins, and drainage channels attract waterfowl and shorebirds, and the FAA requires certificated airports to manage those risks proactively. It is not a compliance checkbox. Bird strikes are expensive, and in serious cases, dangerous.
EnviroBalls™ bird balls solve this problem passively. Deployed on airport stormwater ponds and drainage structures, the balls cover the open water surface, removing the landing area and feeding habitat that attract birds in the first place. No netting that can snag birds. No propane cannons that habituate over time and require staffing. Just continuous, low-maintenance deterrence that works around the clock.
Aviation and wildlife control applications:
- Airport stormwater retention ponds and detention basins
- Runway drainage channels and drainage features
- Military airfield ponds and wildlife management areas
- Industrial and commercial facility ponds in bird-sensitive zones
- Golf courses and recreational water features near flight paths
EnviroBalls™ align with FAA Advisory Circular guidance on wildlife hazard management and are a recognized approach for bird deterrence at airport stormwater facilities.
Specialty Applications: Floating Media and Surface Coverage
EnviroBalls™ have also found a home in select specialty applications. Their consistent dimensions, buoyancy, and chemical inertness make them worth considering for use as static floating media in certain water treatment configurations, including biofilm carrier systems and controlled aeration environments. Their HDPE construction is compatible with a wide range of process chemistries, and because deployment is modular, operators can test partial coverage before committing to full installation.
Why EnviroBalls™?
EnviroBalls™ are differentiated by the easily scalable deployment, consistent quality, and engineering support designed for real-world infrastructure applications.
Made in USA. EnviroBalls™ are manufactured domestically. That means shorter lead times, supply chain reliability, and product quality that is not dependent on overseas logistics. It also supports compliance with Buy American requirements in federally funded infrastructure projects.
Consistent quality control. Wall thickness and weight are verified through GES manufacturing protocols. Consistency matters in the field; poor quality can impact long-term buoyancy and creates gaps in coverage with unpredictable performance.
Engineering support. GES works with customers to correctly size deployments for their specific application, whether that is a two-acre reservoir or a row of industrial process tanks. Further project support on material specifications, installation services, best practices, and engineering cut sheets are available.
Material performance. UV-stabilized HDPE is most often selected specifically for resistance to UV degradation, temperature cycling, and chemical exposure. EnviroBalls™ are built to hold up in the environments where they are deployed, not just in a product data sheet.
Scalable deployment. Projects can start small and expand. There is no minimum order that forces operators to over-cover, and no rigid infrastructure that locks in a configuration. EnviroBalls™ work with how infrastructure budgets and projects evolve.
“In developing EnviroBalls™, we focused on delivering a solution our customers can rely on in critical water infrastructure applications. The name reflects a product that is engineered, practical, and built to perform consistently in the field,” said Rocco Petrilli, Chief Revenue Officer of Global Environmental Solutions.
“EnviroBalls™ water covers are a proven, straightforward solution for reducing evaporation, limiting algae growth, and protecting water quality. GES entered this market to provide a high-quality, engineered solution that customers can depend on across municipal and industrial applications,” added Petrilli.
Get Started with EnviroBalls™
GES works directly with utilities, industrial operators, water and wastewater plant operators, environmental engineers, and airport facility managers to evaluate applications, model coverage, and support deployment. GES provides support to help customers meet performance goals for each specific project.
To request a project evaluation or consultation visit www.EnviroBalls.com.
About Global Environmental Solutions, LLC
Global Environmental Solutions (GES) provides environmental control technologies for dust suppression, soil stabilization, surface management, and water infrastructure applications. GES serves municipal, industrial, mining, construction, transportation, and agricultural markets across North America. For more information, visit www.globalenvironmentalsolutions.com.