Today I went for my first ever run in Central Park, and finding myself quite parched, I began trying out every drinking fountain I could find. Confirming some assertions made in this thread, none of them were working.
So, do they turn them on later in the season? Or are they decorative year-round so people will be forced to buy $3 bottles of water from strategically placed vendors?
All of my city’s outdoor public drinking fountatins are turned off for the winter and back on in the summer. I don’t see why NYC would be any different. Climate is just about identical.
Yep, they’re turned off for the winter, and don’t go back on until May usually (some in higher-traffic areas go on first). It’s a shame because the water is delicious!
Just climb the fence and jump into the reservoir 
Update: They’re on! Or at least the one I tried today.
Most street vendors sell water for $1 a bottle, at least in the areas of manhattan that I frequent. Are they really charging $3 in the park?