Recirculation
Definition
A splash pad water system that collects sprayed water, treats it with chlorine and often UV, and pumps it back to features for reuse.
Recirculation cuts water use by 90%+ vs single-pass systems and is now standard in drought-prone states. The trade-off is daily chemistry monitoring — chlorine, pH and clarity must be checked or pathogens like cryptosporidium can survive.
Recirculated splash pads are the source of nearly all documented recreational water illness outbreaks at splash pads. Properly maintained, they are safe.