Patent ID: 6932540

Claim:
A water reservoir system comprising: a water reservoir containing potable or process water; and a water reservoir cover spanning at least a portion of the surface of said water reservoir, said water reservoir cover comprising at least two floatation panels, said floatation panels each comprising a plurality of polymeric foam particles arranged in a piled laminate structure; at least a portion of said polymeric foam particles within said piled laminate structure bonded to at least one adjoining foam particle positioned either above or below said foam particle; said piled laminate structure further defining a first face and opposing second face, said first face contacting said water reservoir at or near its surface; wherein at least a portion of said foam particles exhibit sufficient buoyancy to collectively float said floatation panel in said water reservoir, said foam particles further arranged within said piled laminate structure so as to define interstices between at least a portion of said foam particles, said interstices of sufficient size and quantity to allow rainwater to flow through said piled laminate structure while further providing a light transmittance of less than about 95%; and a fabric layer bonded to at least a portion of said second face, said fabric layer defining an overhang extending beyond the perimeter of at least a portion of said piled laminate structure; said at least two adjacent floatation panels joined into a single unit by bonding said overhang of two or more adjacent floatation panels.