After hearing a strange rushing sound, one hospital visitor spotted what appeared to be a man-made waterfall spilling across the roof.
Amazed by the speed and volume of the river of water, the person took to Reddit for answers.
In the Reddit thread, they shared some footage showing the water moving over flowing across part of the rooftop like a small creek.
Here's what to know
According to the post, the discovery began when they tried to figure out where the sound was coming from.
(Click here if the embedded video does not appear.)
"We noticed this after looking for the sound of a waterfall! The water pouring over the large louvered fins doesn't show up well on the video until I zoom in. I was even more surprised about the rushing water that looks like a creek on the roof!" they wrote.
People in the discussion mostly agreed on the answer: it was a cooling tower, and a decent-sized one too. Equipment like that is commonly installed on large commercial properties, including hospitals, to carry away extra heat from air-conditioning systems and other mechanical operations.
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Even if the amount of water looks striking, that heavy flow is often normal for the system. Cooling towers typically circulate warm water and spread it out so moving air can remove heat, and when the demand is high, the result can sound like a waterfall.
One commenter joked, "I believe 'air water chiller' is the correct technical term (in Louisiana) so long as you don't pronounce the Rs and say it really fast."
More background
Hospitals usually require robust cooling because they run nonstop and contain patient areas, surgical spaces, ventilation systems, and equipment that can be sensitive to temperature.
That is one reason rooftop mechanical systems on those buildings are often far bigger and noisier than the setups most people see on houses or smaller commercial properties.
These towers work by bringing water and airflow together in an open system. As water runs over louvers or other internal surfaces, it can look like a stream crossing the roof.
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