On the first day of summer, June 21, the mercury’s boiling, particularly in Houston where temperatures have been above 90 for 17 of June’s days so far. So why not take that sweltering sunlight and put it to a good use? That’s what Reliant did when it powered up the Solar Splash Pad in Houston’s revitalizing fifth ward on June 17.

The splash pad is a sort of small water park with bright, zany fountains squirting water onto revelers, old and young alike. The splash pad is 2,340 square-foot play area that’s powered by 18 solar panels, which Reliant said—as a planned net-zero energy project—offset its energy use. Entrance to the park is free and it will be open annually between May and September.

Reliant donated the splash pad as part of the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation as part of the organization’s Lyons Avenue Renaissance Project. The Renaissance project is an effort to revitalize 100 blocks in the ward. Reliant and the Fifth Ward held an opening ceremony for the park on June 17, which Houston Mayor Annise Parker attended—and got splashed at.

“The splash pad is a wet and wonderful gift from Reliant that showcases strength that can come from business and community partnerships,” said Kathy Payton, president of the Fifth Ward organization. “The sustainable energy information helps make our neighborhood not only a fun gathering place, but also a real-world example to teach about science and our environment.”

For those that don’t want to revel under the fountains, the park also has shaded picnic tables and benches thanks to the solar array that helps power the park. The array is expected to produce about 6.6 megawatt-hours of electricity on an annual basis. The array also features educational materials, so that kids and adults alike can learn about the panels that make the water flow.

“As a parent myself, there’s nothing more precious than seeing a child’s eyes light up as science comes alive when they experience it. I hope families from Houston’s Fifth Ward and surrounding neighborhoods start splashing and learning about solar energy at this new park,” said Reliant President Elizabeth Killinger.

The project was announced last September showing how quickly they were able to complete it. As a ground-level water feature, it offers advantages over the installation of a community pool. For instance, it’s easier to maintain than a pool, and it’s safer, so there’s no need for lifeguards, both of which helps make the splash pad less expensive to operate and maintain.