A giant tank on the ground collects rainwater that is used for the waterfall. It takes two hours to prepare for the waterfall to run, and the flow is powered by four water pumps.
Running the waterfall for just one hour adds about $120 to the skyscraper's electricity bill.
Since getting the waterfall to run is an involved process, officials say they will only turn it on for special occasions.
The waterfall was finished in 2016, but it only ran six times between its completion and July 2018. Officials turned in on for 30 minutes on July 22, 2018, to celebrate the Guiyang International Marathon.
next slide will load in 15 secondsSkip AdSkip AdIf the waterfall remained turned on for an entire year, it would cost about $1 million. It is nearly 10 feet taller than the Solar City Tower in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which previously held the record for tallest man-made waterfall.
The waterfall was built by Ludi Industry Group. Company director Cheng Xiaomao said the company president, Zhou Songtao, wanted to promote Guiyang's green image. “Guiyang is a city of mountains, and with many trees, just like a forest. He wanted to create a feeling of water and greenery, even when you are surrounded by skyscrapers,” Cheng told the South China Morning Post.