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Across the metro area, public fountains are no longer flowing because of the drought. But at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, the fountain flows, a moving wall of water that greets visitors as they walk through the main entrance.

It's just the right size for children to dip in their fingers and splash a little, something enjoyed by some of the 300 students who come through the doors of the center every day.

Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center photo (ENLARGE)

'Water is the most critical resource issue,' says a large wall quote at Gwinnett's environmental center.

MORE ON THE DROUGHT: • Map: Heavy demands on our water • Photos: April showers bring ... • Photos: Lake rises dramatically in January RELATED: State lifts strict outdoor watering restrictions  Ban lifted on new Lake Lanier boat docks  Drought's over and Lake Lanier gets lively  Water wars judge stays patient, with Atlanta's future in his hands  Judge: Lanier use should have been decided long ago  • More on coping with the drought • More Gwinnett news

For that very reason, the water is treated with ultraviolet light, which disinfects it, and is then recycled through the fountain continually.

Center director Steve Cannon says that because the fountain is indoors, "there's virtually no evaporation. Because children will be children, we use potable water in the fountain, but we use the same 10 gallons over and over."

One recent visitor seemed disturbed by the sight of the water, telling the staff there was a drought going on. Cannon said he hadn't had one complaint about the fountain or the center, "so it was a bit of a surprise to learn about this. I wish he had given us the opportunity to show what we do here."

Recycling and reusing is an integral part of how things work at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. The 60,000-square-foot building is one-of-a-kind in the county.

It has a green roof, with 4 inches of soil planted mostly with sedum, and a heating and cooling system that uses recycled wastewater sludge from the nearby water treatment center, supplemented with rain. The toilets in the building flush with reused water as well.

Cannon says the facility uses less potable water than a normal residential building. The U.S. Green Building Council has recognized the Environmental and Heritage Center under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The coveted LEED designation attests to the building's use of recyclable and reused construction products and the energy efficiency of the entire structure — including the surrounding trails and parking lot.

Water efficiency isn't the only distinguishing feature of the center. The granite stones that accent the recycled concrete of the building's exterior are recycled monuments from a company in Ellijay — they typically had a word misspelled or a date wrong. The writing is turned inside, "but you can still find a Cupid or two," Cannon says.

He says he hopes people who are concerned about anything having to do with the building will contact him. Like a proud father, he's more than happy to show it off.