# Water Fountains **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 19, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287 "2025-08-19T20:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/21 "2025-08-20T16:20:53Z")
We have a long bike trail running thru the greenbelt/parkway that bisects the metro, and all water fountains are working, as are the flush toilets in the neighboring bathrooms, every 3-4 miles - I don’t recall them not working. They only shut off when the fountain is out of order for some reason, but are eventually back on line. The fountains are used by dozens of people every day. I fill-up my bicycle water bottle from them all the time and I have lived to tell about it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/22 "2025-08-20T16:22:07Z")
You got it, friend. And yes it does seem like germs just jump on me. Self-preservation is my intent. I’ve been social distancing for half my life. Way before COVID. And, no I won’t be shaking your hand or hugging you. Just how I roll. 😊 (I could explain a deeper reason why I’m a germaphobe, but that’s probably a hijack) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/23 "2025-08-20T17:17:11Z")
I like them. My grocery store and the Y have them. I am never out somewhere without my 7 oz bottle; must stay hydrated. I use them to refill my bottle. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/24 "2025-08-20T17:19:12Z")
In elementary school, seems like when we lined up to use the fountain, there’d be one little shit who would plant his mouth directly on the water outlet. Grossed the shit out of me. I’d always let it run a few seconds before using hoping that the previous kid’s spittle would be flushed out. But why did they do this? Drink from the high point of the arc of water like a sensible chimpanzee. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/25 "2025-08-20T17:20:35Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > But why did they do this? Maybe environmental regulations on lead weren’t as stringent back then. ---
**Author:** ![Nightaudit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightaudit/32/17181_2.png) [@Nightaudit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightaudit)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/26 "2025-08-20T17:47:45Z")
It’s amazing how much of a building’s systems go to shit when they are not used for while. Along with not maintaining the systems during the mothball cycle… is like a cabin/rv, you don’t just shut off the water, gas and electricity and walk away for the winter. You have to prep it for storage. We had the hot water lines chalk up because the suspended solids in the water fell out of solution from not circulating the water for the several months we were closed. The seals on the cast iron sewer pipe joints in the building dried out and when we opened back up shit leaked out every where it seemed like. The same sediment issue happened to the chiller water for the HVAC system too, lines, heat exchangers clogged up… buildings fall apart quite quickly when no one is there using them and doing maintenance work…. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/27 "2025-08-20T18:25:08Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’d always let it run a few seconds before using hoping that the previous kid’s spittle would be flushed out. I generally need to run it a few seconds to see how high the arc is, so i can aim. Honestly, i figure those few seconds are good enough to flush off and random spittle or dust that might be in the faucet. I’m a huge fan of water bubblers. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/28 "2025-08-20T21:23:49Z")
Don’t water bubblers splash in your face and eyes, easily. Is that different than a regular water fountains? 😱 Nope..nope..nope! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/29 "2025-08-20T21:42:45Z")
Last summer, I visited Bozeman, MT, where I went for grad school. I was walking around town, reliving memories, but it was a hot day, and I was getting thirsty. I went to three different places that I remembered having public drinking fountains, and all of them were disabled or removed. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/30 "2025-08-20T23:20:44Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Don’t water bubblers splash in your face and eyes, easily. Is that different than a regular water fountains? Nope, just different terms for the same thing, at least on my regional dialect. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/31 "2025-08-21T03:15:32Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Of course, that is a lot fancier than “back in the day”, when Chicago fountains simply ran all the time without needing to press a button! > [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > In Rome (Italy) there are a lot of water fountains which do just that. And in Portland: > **[Benson Bubbler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Bubbler)** > > Benson Bubblers are iconic bronze drinking fountains named after businessman and philanthropist Simon Benson (1852–1942), mostly located in Portland, Oregon, United States. > In 1912, Benson donated $10,000 for the purchase and installation of 20 fountains; the designer was Portland architect A. E. Doyle. > Two reasons have been suggested for his decision to donate the fountains. One was his hope that they would reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages during lunch breaks, and the other was th... ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/32 "2025-08-21T03:25:54Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Don’t get me started on public restrooms Oh, I love a challenge. Go on… ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/33 "2025-08-21T08:24:02Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > In Rome (Italy) there are a lot of water fountains which do just that. I believe they are officially considered to be completely OK to drink; presumably a continuous flow prevents build up of mold, bacteria and other gunk. You know “Evian water”? Did you know that if you go to Evian, they just call it “eau”? And it’s free [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lTYC9TnrgVY/maxresdefault.jpg "Water fountain in Evian, France | Spring 2021【4K】") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTYC9TnrgVY) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/34 "2025-08-21T13:57:39Z")
I heard the term “soda fountain” when I was a kid. I was disappointed when I learned it wasn’t like a water fountain that you could just drink Coke straight from. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/35 "2025-08-21T14:05:12Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I was disappointed when I learned it wasn’t like a water fountain that you could just drink Coke straight from. Only on the Big Rock Candy Mountain. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/36 "2025-08-21T14:09:20Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > You know “Evian water”? Did you know that if you go to Evian, they just call it “eau”? And it’s free But then you have to pay for the plane ticket, and they’ll make you dump out all the bottles you filled for free before you can fly home anyways. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/37 "2025-08-21T14:17:49Z")
I actually have carried bottled tap water home (from Banff, Canada) in my checked luggage. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/38 "2025-08-21T14:22:55Z")
It wasn’t tap water, but I’ve carried bottled water ( drinking and distilled) in checked luggage multiple times. It’s only carrying it through the TSA checkpoint that’s not alllowed. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/39 "2025-08-21T14:25:22Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Of course, that is a lot fancier than “back in the day”, when Chicago fountains simply ran all the time without needing to press a button! I still see the old-fashioned ones occasionally in the city. In fact, there’s one a couple blocks from me right now! They also have a four spray-jet (or whatever it’s called) sprinkler there, too, that runs 24-7 during the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287/40 "2025-08-21T14:28:01Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > It wasn’t tap water, but I’ve carried bottled water ( drinking and distilled) in checked luggage multiple times. It’s only carrying it through the TSA checkpoint that’s not alllowed. I was joking regardless - in my experience, only the US cares about bottles of liquid (as well as making you remove shoes and belts during security checks); other countries have much saner rules. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-fountains/1022287.md?page=3)