Lincoln Fountain

LMU's Lincoln Fountain is an environmentally responsible, recirculating water structure that serves as a focal point at the university's main entrance on Lincoln Boulevard (CA-1/Pacific Coast Highway) and LMU Drive. Reminding us of the centrality of water in our lives, the fountain is a symbol of life and renewal and welcomes all who visit the LMU community. In its majesty, the Lincoln fountain demands attention from passersby, and is an iconic landmark associated with LMU and Los Angeles as a whole.

As the Lincoln Fountain boldly engages visitors near and far, LMU has undertaken significant steps to offset the fountain's water usage and raise awareness about California's drought. In collaboration with municipal water districts and authorities, LMU continues to lead and maximize water conservation efforts and programs.

Fountain Facts and Related Information

• The fountain requires about 45,000 gallons of water, a little more than the average swimming pool. Lincoln Fountain recirculates its water however, so there is minimal water consumption. Due to evaporation, the fountain uses the same amount of water as 1.7 showers/week.
• In the past few years, LMU has reduced its water consumption by more than a million gallons per year (estimated), which represents many times the total water consumption of the Lincoln Fountain.
• Due to evaporation and splashing, the fountain loses roughly 3 percent of its water volume annually.
• The fountain is operated on periodically to remain in working order. It is more ecologically responsible to fill it once and operate it on a limited basis than to fill it three or four times a year for maintenance.

Other Measures Taken to Reduce Water Consumption at LMU:

• Saved an estimated 1 million gallons of water by removing 210,000 square feet of natural grass on Drollinger Field and replaced it with artificial turf
• Use 75% reclaimed water for campus landscape irrigation
• Low-flow aerators on sinks and low-flow shower heads were installed across campus to reduce water consumption by 55%
• Low-volume-per-flush toilets were also installed across campus 
• All washing machines are Energy Star certified, saving about 880,000 gallons of water a year 
• Replaced all natural turf, grass, and plants with high water requirements with drought-tolerant plants 
• Rainwater/atmospheric condition sensors were deployed for landscape irrigation to reduce water usage 
• To lower water loss, chilled and hot water loops are maintained within storage tanks 
• Rain barrels in our campus garden reduce potable water use
• Environmentally sustainable curriculum topics have been integrated:
  • Students gather condensate from HVAC equipment on the roof of the Life Sciences Building and use it to irrigate nearby plants
  • Environmental science major/minor, engineering programs, biology, chemistry, and other programs
  • Business classes on sustainability in undergraduate and graduate programs, CURes, sustainability certificate programs, The Bay Foundation, and Urban Studies program