What challenges do you encounter on fountain restoration projects?

Two common challenges at the start of the project are locating accurate as-built drawings and providing the owner with an accurate budget. For these reasons, an 'exploratory' site visit is required to examine the existing jets, light fixtures, waterproofing, structure and finishes, fasteners, piping, conduit, valves, pump equipment, and electrical controls. It is also important to speak with the maintenance staff. They can provide a history of any previous repair work, weekly and seasonal maintenance, drain line tie-ins, leak issues, etc. Maintenance personnel can bring issues to the design team's attention that aren't visibly obvious, or easily tested for during the initial 'exploratory' visit.

 
What are some of the key differences between designing a new fountain and renovating an existing one?

A new fountain project is straightforward, but with a renovation, work is done within existing confines. At the design stage, this includes the orientation of new pumps and filters to fit into the existing equipment room space, or being limited in pump size due to a current maximum power feed, and often reusing the same piping and conduits that are already in place. When replicating jets or spray effects that are no longer available, Fountain People often creates a prototype(s) in our test tank to determine GPM and head requirements, and so the landscape architect can approve the aesthetics. During the construction phase or a fountain renovation, there are significantly more discussions between the design team, general contractor, and fountain installer as they start their work. It may be that an item has been discontinued and a substitute is requested, or that an existing conduit/pipe is not reusable due to damage from tree roots, etc. There is always an unanticipated discovery with renovation work, and so it is important, and often rewarding, when all parties work together to come up with a novel solution.

How do you balance preserving the historical or architectural integrity of a fountain with incorporating modern technology?

For this aspect of a renovation, Fountain People listens to the landscape architect and owner so that they can convey which aspects of the original design are most important to the project. The owner can indicate which components are to be renovated versus replaced, and provide a reason why. A common example of modern technology being utilized in a renovation is the replacement of burned-out and discontinued incandescent lights with energy-efficient, colored LED light fixtures. The LED lights can be set on a temperature/shade to match the incandescent lights, but can also provide the opportunity for the fountain to reflect the colors of a local school, or a current holiday. For a current renovation, we have been asked to provide a chemical-free water treatment system, allowing police horses to utilize the fountain for drinking water as originally intended over 50 years ago. The goal is often to preserve the previous aesthetics and architectural integrity, but with added modern features such as the ability to change lighting colors, remote monitoring, programming capabilities, and utilizing energy-efficient equipment.

What makes Fountain People unique (from the competition)?

Fountain People is more uniquely qualified than our competition for large Show Fountains and Restoration projects. We have nine employees with over 20 years of experience who work alongside the next generation of designers and field technicians to tackle these more challenging projects. Fountain People is unique in that we provide in-house animation and choreography services, allowing the owner to see the end result before fully committing to the project. We have been fortunate to work on dozens of show fountains and restorations, gaining valuable experience on the type of spray jets and programming that create a significant 'wow' factor to attract visitors and contribute to prosperity for the surrounding businesses.

As seen in LASN magazine, July 2025.