Trading Water for Electricity

I saw this display today and reached for my camera right away. It's a water fountain but instead of actual water, it's a changing lights display that just looks like running water. Clever, yet odd...I suppose it saves on water, but is that really a savings? Fountains just recirculate the same water, whereas electricity does not just "recirculate" to keep powering the display. I'm guessing water would have been a better choice...