Stanford’s fountains will be turned back on in stages, the University announced today. The fountains in front of Green Library, Memorial Auditorium, and the Stanford Bookstore will be cleared and turned on immediately, while Stanford’s other fountains will return by Monday, April 25.
Stanford chose to turn off its fountains two years ago to help conserve water during California’s drought. The drought has yet to end, but associate vice president Jack Cleary reports that the University has since achieved “significant conservation” on campus and can thus “return to operating the fountains without impacting our ongoing efforts.” He noted that the fountains, which use several thousands of gallons of water per day and need 50,000 gallons of water to be filled, are “important to the character of the campus”.
The University reports that Stanford used 25% less drinkable water in 2015 than it did in 2013, and attributes the decline to a new energy system, changes in irrigation practices, and decreased water consumption from the community.