In today’s climate crisis affecting much of the world, water and energy management has shifted from being an operational concern to a strategic priority. In regions where water stress is a daily reality, allowing stored water in reservoirs to be lost through evaporation is, financially speaking, a leakage of capital. This is where the installation of geomembranes as floating covers emerges as the most advanced and cost-effective technical solution.
SAI leads the implementation of floating cover systems that not only protect water resources, but also open the door to clean energy generation through biogas capture.
In arid or semi-arid climates, an open reservoir can lose a significant percentage of its annual volume due to evaporation. For agricultural or mining operations, this represents massive inefficiency. Beyond volume loss, evaporation concentrates salts and minerals in the remaining water, degrading its quality and increasing treatment costs.
For floating covers, material selection differs from bottom-liners. The cover must be flexible enough to rise and fall with water levels and extremely resistant to direct UV radiation.
At SAI, we typically recommend HDPE geomembrane with special thermal-resistance additives, or, in cases of complex geometries, linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) due to its higher elongation capacity. The durability of these systems depends critically on proper installation, as seams must withstand constant mechanical stresses caused by wind and water movement.
In industrial and agro-industrial wastewater treatment (such as pig farms or food processing plants), floating covers serve an additional purpose: odor control and gas capture.
By installing a sealed cover over an anaerobic lagoon, generated gases—primarily methane—are trapped. SAI designs and installs gas collection systems beneath the membrane, allowing the biogas to be directed either to a flare for controlled combustion or, preferably, to a generator for electricity production.
One of the most common mistakes made by non-certified installers is underestimating wind forces. A cover without a proper ballast and venting system can behave like a giant sail, tearing perimeter anchors loose.
The SAI team precisely calculates wind loads and uses internal weighting and flotation systems that keep the membrane in contact with the water, minimizing the “flutter effect” that shortens geomembrane lifespan and durability.
Floating covers represent the final frontier in reservoir optimization. By choosing SAI for your geomembrane installation, you are investing in a technology that pays for itself through water savings and potential energy generation. In a world of limited resources, protecting your assets is not an option—it is a competitive necessity.