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From the public wishing fountains found in many city squares to the grand water shows in places like Las Vegas and Dubai, water fountain displays are aesthetic marvels that tend to draw large, admiring crowds. In the days of the ancient Romans, gravity-fed fountains served as an important source of bathing, washing and drinking water for the public. Today, sophisticated fountain pumps power water fountain displays.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome is a prime example of how modern pumping technology has interacted with classical design to preserve an artifact of Post-Renaissance Rome. An icon of Baroque era architecture and a symbol of Roman mythology, the Trevi fountain is arguably the most famous fountain display in the world. Artisans refurbished the deteriorated surface and engineers installed recirculating pumps in 1998. The pumps ensure that the Trevi will continue to dazzle modern audiences for many years to come.

From its humble origins as a functional tool for public life, fountains today are primarily aesthetic in nature.

Private businesses use fountains as branding statements to convey class and sophistication. Municipalities use fountains as natural public gathering points in parks and city squares. Cities also use fountains to add a natural, beautifying effect to the sometimes sterile environs of public architecture. For homeowners, a fountain display can simply be a pleasant sight while gardening or a status signifier to the neighbors next door.

Whatever the purpose, the fountain pump serves an integral role in keeping these aesthetic treasures running properly.

Types of Fountain Pumps

Submersible Fountain Pumps

Fountain pumps are engineered in various designs, types and configurations. Perhaps the most common model of fountain pump is the submersible fountain pump. As the name suggests, submersible fountain pumps operate while immersed in water, often in a specially designed basin. In addition to acting as a priming agent, the water also has the effect of cooling the motor.

Submersible fountain pumps can come in a variety of styles. For instance, this Barnes Model SF411 is constructed similarly to an effluent pump: the suction inlet is on the bottom of the volute. Water moves by way of impeller through the volute and to the discharge outlet. A hose or pipe will lead from the discharge outlet to a special fountain attachment or nozzle which will project the water into the desired display pattern.

The Barnes SFU submersible series is constructed in a different manner: a mesh screen covering the body draws in water from all directions. The water heads to the volute. The discharge outlet will connect to a fountain attachment or nozzle by pipe or hose.

Little Giant submersible fountain pumps are designed expressly with statuary fountain displays in mind. This specific pump operates on a direct drive. The pump is mounted to the same shaft as the drive or motor, thus the pump has the same RPM as the motor. The benefit of the direct drive is that it produces powerful starting torque and increased water pressure.

The Little Giant statuary fountain pump can pump up to 12 ft. in head which makes it perfect for its express purpose in statuary fountain displays that include an additional fixture mounted on top of the fountain itself. It is a compact model that includes a prefilter to protect the pump. Water filtration systems, streams and waterfalls use direct drive pumps, which are designed to operate continuously.

The aforementioned submersible pumps are perfectly capable of servicing fountain displays, but keep in mind that additional fixtures, such as a nozzle or fountain attachment may also be required.

If you have a pond or body of water and you are looking for a compact, all-in-one pump that can also serve as a fountain display tool, consider the Zoeller N370 aeration fountain pump. The N370 works in 5 ft. of water or more and produces a fountain stream of up to 15 ft. in height. It is a continuous duty pump that aerates 4900 water gallons per hour.

External or In-Line Pumps

In-line pumps provide a cost-efficient alternative to submersible fountain pumps. In-line pumps are mounted on an external fixture, as opposed to being submersed in the water or a basin. In-line types are generally better at pushing water (as opposed to pulling) so if the water source is far away or if you need a lot of head for an application, it might not be suitable.

For instance, the Little Giant 1-A-OM is an-line pump and features an open motor. The model is mostly used in water displays but also has great utility pumping for hot beverage dispensers. The nylon volute and impeller protects the pump from the effects of the heated media.

Other Uses

The primary purpose of fountain pumps is to supplement the aesthetics of the fountain display but the pumps can serve other purposes as well. The pumping motion creates air bubbles in the fountain or pond water, starting water aeration. Aeration is simply the process of increasing the amount of oxygen in a given body of water. Oxygen helps prevent anaerobic bacteria from forming and is necessary for fish (if you have any).

The fountain pump also circulates water to prevent stagnation. When water stagnates, bacteria can build up. Since the water body effectively becomes an incubator for the bacteria, it also becomes attractive to the type of living organisms that you may not want in your fountain. Imagine mosquitoes, parasites, water scorpions and the like infiltrating your pond. In addition, circulation evenly distributes warm and cold water throughout the body of water – important if you want to keep your pet fish from dying of shock.

The aesthetic effects of water degradation are obvious enough. No one likes foul smelling or unpleasant looking water. But also consider the sanitary impact. Diseases such as malaria and dengue thrive in bacteria-ridden water.

Famous Fountain Displays Around the World

Water fountain displays comprise some of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. See below for an image gallery displaying these marvelous wonders. Pumps make it possible.

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