Renderings show the design for the proposed Burroughs Creek Splash Park.

Lawrence city leaders have approved a request to increase the budget for the city’s first splash park to just over $370,000 in order for the project to include a system that recirculates water.

At its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted as part of its consent agenda to approve a $372,500 contract with MegaKC for the Burroughs Creek Splash Park project. The project was initially budgeted at $200,000, but city staff said the recirculation system would save the city money over the long run and be more environmentally sustainable, according to a memo to the commission.

The splash pad with a recirculating system will use about 5,000 gallons of water per year, compared with 6.8 million gallons per year without the system. Costwise, the splash pad with a recirculating system is estimated to cost $26,000 per year in annual water and maintenance costs, compared with $50,000 per year without the system, meaning that though more expensive initially, the design that includes the recirculating system would recoup that cost after seven years.