Minimizing Water Consumption While Maximizing Play Value
Municipal splash pads offer a refreshing escape for communities, enticing both children and adults to cool off and play. Managing the splash pad’s water consumption is paramount for sustainability and conservation efforts. Prioritizing play value and ensuring that the features and zones on the splash pad are used effectively is also necessary for a great user experience.
We sat down with ABC Recreation’s in-house splash pad mechanical expert Ed Sebastiao for a Q&A to learn how he manages those two priorities with our clients.
What do you look at first when trying to conserve water on a splash pad?
We would first check to see if the controller can be reprogrammed for lower flow and if not, a new controller would be proposed. This can be costly, so we do consider a couple other options as well.
After assessing the controller, what do you focus on?
We would look at sequencing, which is the flow of water while the splash pad is operating. A splash pad is typically divided into three zones –toddler, family, and teen—and we recommend that two features are running in each zone at any given time.
We always sequence based on the size of the water service, with the average splash pad operating at 72 gal/min. We can sequence the system to 80%, which would be 59 gal/min. Each sequence runs for four minutes, and our technician works to find the happy medium between water consumption while keeping the splash pad enjoyable for its users.
Is there anything else you can adjust to save on water?
The last piece is the nozzles. A standard nozzle has 10 holes and runs at 6 gal/min. By making a nozzle lower flow, it then has 6 holes and runs at 4 gal/min. The technician would balance the system and adjust the heights to allow for lower flow.
What factors can affect water consumption on a splash pad?
Water consumption will vary year over year as it is dependent on weather. If the seasonal temperatures are lower, then the parks are likely to be used less, whereas warmer temperatures will yield a higher use. Water consumption is the same if it’s one child using the splash pad or 50 children.
What is the goal when completing a splash pad water conservation audit?
We strive to reduce water consumption by 20-30% and this equates to considerable financial savings. Our service team is thrilled to play a role in helping clients achieve these results – conserving a natural resource and lowering their annual spend. It’s a win-win!
