Was walking through a townhome complex today. They had a beautiful fountain at the front. I was the only person there, then I thought, if I weren't here, who would be here to enjoy it? It'd be just wasted energy pumping the fountain 24/7, especially in the night. How about having sensors stationed at a circumference of 100 ft of the fountain, so that when it is tripped, the fountain will go on.
As much as I enjoy a pretty fountain - the practical side of me says that they are power hogs (pumping water sucks up a lot of energy as anyone with a pool can attest to) that probably should be replaced by something passive. A nice low water use garden perhaps?
...solar power it. I have some spare solar panels I keep planning on making a small solar fountain for my deck. You might want to know if it has any purpose such as aeration.
