At first glance, it looked like someone had installed an abstract fountain in the Anacortes City Council chambers. But a closer look showed the water feature was something more intriguing — a display showing a steady stream of water flowing straight through cement bricks and into a layer of gravel below.

The bricks, which look like giant Rice Krispies treats, were pervious or porous concrete. The free-flowing water explained how the material works better than a thousand words.

John Campbell, sales manager for Lehigh Northwest Cement Company, was there recently with the display to make the Anacortes City Council an offer it couldn’t refuse: Free installation of the environmentally friendly material during construction of Pennsylvania Park this summer.