
Water features can create an enchanted, calming space with their presence, but once the sun drops, this effect can be lost in the darkness. However, this issue can be easily remedied with the proper landscape lighting.
âYou put all that money into it and once the sun goes down you donât have any lights on it you really canât enjoy it,â says Jerry McKay, owner of McKay Landscape Lighting, based in Omaha, Nebraska. âThe true benefit is just aesthetics. You hear that noise and you want to see the source of that noise, and if you light it properly you see that spill and see that and enjoy that. Thatâs probably the largest benefit of lighting it.â
If your clients are looking to light a current water feature or plan on installing one, here are some best practices when it comes to lighting water features.
Challenges to be aware of
For McKay when he is working on lighting a water feature, the first question he asks is where is the transformer going to hang. Because he doesnât want to take away from the aesthetic of the water feature, he says he prefers to have the transformer on the house and run wire out to the feature.

Once the power situation is figured out, it comes down to what is the best method to light the water feature, which could be anything from an elaborate fountain to a serene pond to a lively waterfall.
âFor us, our challenge is the design aspect,â McKay says. âWhatâs going to look the best? Whatâs going to create the least amount of glare? For instance, people put in, letâs say, a stream that goes down in their backyard and slopes away from their backyard. That presents a challenge within itself because if you get down lower and shoot at that stream, when you walk out your house youâre going to see that glare. Itâs really important to control glare on a water feature so you have to really figure out where youâre going to view the water feature.â
Determining the principle viewing area can help ensure that glare is not a problem.
Another element that must be considered but can be forgotten is maintenance. The main maintenance needs of a water feature are keeping the fixtures clean and aimed in the right direction. As a company, McKay says they try to avoid using submersible lights in ponds, as they tend to reveal how dirty the pond is.
âA lot of times what weâll do is shoot light at the water feature,â McKay says. âWeâll shine the light at the waterfall and not get in the waterfall, which then takes the fixtures out of the water where theyâll get dirty or show the dirt of the water feature and theyâre much easier to maintain. A lot of times weâre looking at the maintenance long term because I think people forget that. When itâs crystal clear and itâs new and you get lights in, thatâs great, but then six months down the road, those have to be pulled out and cleaned all the time.â

While you cannot know 100 percent how the lights will look on the water feature until it is installed, McKay says that as an experienced professional, you tend to know how the light fixtures will illuminate the water feature.
âWhatâs interesting about that is your client doesnât know what itâs going to look like,â he says. âOne simple way to rule all the problems out down to the road is once itâs constructed to do a quick mockup, and thatâs wire above the ground with three or four lights and a temporary transformer plugged in. That is the best way to get on the same page with client because then theyâll see it.â
Another way to set a clientâs mind at ease when selling them on a water feature lighting job is to show them pictures of previous projects to gain their trust.
âInvesting in the photography on the front end is really important because you take that picture and then if thereâs one similar to that you can say this is approximately what this would look like,â McKay says. âIâd say also if youâre going to do it that way, have the flexibility so when you do your nighttime walkthrough with the client offer to be able change that to reposition lights. Allow that in the install to be able to be flexible to change that.â
Good lighting techniques
One misconception when it comes to lighting water features is the belief that the light must be in the water in order to create any effect.
âNot to say there canât be some really nice effects under a waterfall, but I think the misconception is that you have to get lighting in the water feature itself,â McKay says. âI donât think people know that you can shine it at it and make it look nice.â
McKay admits that when it comes to lighting a fountain, submersibles fixtures are the right way to go. Any time where the water is being recirculated there is less of a chance of algae buildup, so it is okay to use submersible lights.
âI just think you have to be careful with submersibles and realize thereâs going to be maintenance with it,â he says. âAs long as the customer or the contractor is fine with doing regular maintenance, thatâs fine, but I think people use submersible lights too much on water features and donât think about down the road. The other thing you have to have is a really good fixture that will not take on moisture. Youâve got to make sure you have a good fixture or down the road youâre in trouble.â
The type of water feature youâre working with will determine whether it is best to install the lighting at the same time as water feature is installed.
If the client is wanting submersible fixtures in a fountain or pond, these are best added in tandem with the water feature. Yet there is no trouble when it comes to installing lights to shine on a waterfall after it has already been constructed.

Regardless of water feature type youâre working with, McKay says one of the best techniques is to focus the lighting on where the action, or the movement of the water, is occurring. If a stream is running through the property, use enough lights to illuminate the whole stream while controlling the glare. Glare shields can be used on fixtures to keep this from being an issue.
âIf itâs possible, a really good technique would be if there are large mature trees, which sometimes there are, moonlighting can be really unique and really work well because No. 1 youâre out of the water feature, and No. 2 youâre up above much like the moon or the sun does so itâs got a natural look,â McKay says. âIf there is a structure or plant material that you can get up in and downlight, thatâs another technique you can use.â
When it comes to finding the proper balance between light and darkness, part of it depends on basic lighting principles and the other half is based on the customerâs input.
âA lot of times you need the dark areas to make the lit areas look well,â McKay says. âI think what you have to keep in mind is you have to look around and you have look at the other lighting on the property. If thereâs other landscape lighting on the property, trees, paths, etc., you want this to blend in as part of it.â
Ask the customer why you are there and what sort of effect they are looking for. Do they want something brighter than everything else in landscape or a more subtle, peaceful look?
âReally what it comes down to, like everything we do, itâs up to the customer,â McKay says. âYouâve got to ask the right questions of the customer, and if you get that on the front end, itâs easy to execute. Over-lighting and under-lighting are very subjective. It just depends on the client. Some of them say, âOh, that looks like Vegasâ and then the next customer says, âI want Vegas.ââ
If your customer isnât certain on the intensity they want, go ahead and design it with the illumination that you think works best. After the installation, let the customer to see it at night and change the bulbs to make it dimmer or brighter to their liking.