I grew up in LA, where water is scarce, and valued. Water fountains are around, but they have valves, which break, stick, or otherwise cause problems. When I lived in Chicago, I was shocked to see that their water fountains have no valves: They run full flow 24x7. Given the weather (frozen pipes) and the water resources available to Chicago (Lake Michigan), it makes sense for them to do it this way, but I had a lot of dissonance when I first saw it.
And (last time I've been) it was excellent water. Strange seeing other tourists paying for the expensive mineral water next to a running tap. (they probably didn't know that the water is fine or didn't care).
When I was a tourist in Rome I didn't know what they were for at first. After some research I became an enthusiastic Nasoni user. I really like the trick where you plug the end and the water comes out of a hole on top of the spout like a drinking fountain.
So, buy a reusable water bottle. People buying plastic disposable bottles with water were not doing something "fair" or consciously getting them for the bottle.
The constant flowing water and exposure to the elements provides a lot of mechanical action to wash away bacteria. I've also never actually seen anything gross stuck onto the water spout, so I'm not too worried about it.
There's chloramines in the water to deal with things like that anyway. Nobody is scrubbing out the water mains beneath the streets - they're not 'clean' by any common definition of the word, but they are perfectly acceptable - they're sanitary due to the disinfection compounds in the water.
yup. water that is passing through the pipes is simply moving from the mountains to the ocean (and producing electricity [1]). whether they go through the bubblers or route around via the rivers is less consequence.
In Paris we have these too, the famous Wallace Fountains, and most of them just run all the time.
Other kinds of fountains have valves though, like the ones which provide sparkling water. And I can guarantee people are using them, in the evening there's frequently a line of people waiting to fill their bottles.
I've always found it kind of funny that in "capitalist" US, there is free water all over the place. It's one of my favorite things to drink good, clean water for free in Portland after getting off a long flight from Europe. In "socialist" Europe, you're pretty much stuck with expensive bottled water in places like airports, unless you have a cup or something and don't mind drinking from the bathroom faucets.
OTOH, one of the great things about cycling in Italy is that every little teeny tiny town has a water fountain, usually near the church or town square. Even on the hottest days of summer, you could probably get by with one small water bottle if you're willing to stop regularly.
Public bathrooms in NE, BE, FR, GB are paid per use and far between. My mom has stories of jumping under the stalls if they didn't have the shilling, sixpence or whatever it was in the 60's. In LA, it's mostly systematic hatred targeting minorities and homeless people from completely necessary bodily functions... which is dumb to deny, because they'll do it 'round back for spite... the owner could so just be cool and ask everyone to promise (really) to not make a mess and keep it very clean so people feel slightly worse if they were to slob it up.
Also, every Starbucks in the U.S. seems to give out water or water with ice upon request. That's not the same as a community identity space and symbol of a water fountain or a Roman aqueduct with water endlessly flowing out of a hole in the wall (we're obviously not able to waste as much as in the past).
Perhaps the symbol of the commons replaced with nothing but apparent commercial options is what people are moral panicking about? Or is there (perhaps as a result of what follows) a popular, definite consumer mentality shift to eschewing anything free == not good, expensive == good?
In UK train stations this is so that they can pay for attendants in the lavatories.
When I was growing up this wasn't the case and they were the hangout of some, ahem, undesirable folk. You most definitely wouldn't have sent a child down on their own. They'd end up with an audience...
I was flatly told "no" when I asked for tap water at a restaurant in Italy. The waitress seemed a little disgusted I would ask, too. I've heard some peoples have an aversion to tap water even if it's become safe these days, so I guess it was that, or maybe some kind of miscommunication.
Maybe she just thought it has a bad taste, but it can't have been bad enough that I'd prefer paying 2-3 euros for bottled water.
> I was flatly told "no" when I asked for tap water at a restaurant in Italy.
Modern consumerism at work!
In most of Italy, 30 years ago, asking for a jug of water at a restaurant was absolutely normal; you would order bottles only if you preferred sparkling, or if you were acting stupendous.
By the mid-90s, drinking bottled water at home had become normal even in cities with perfectly working water systems. People worried about hygiene started requiring bottled water in all circumstances, to be opened in their presence (god forbid you would actively recycle glass bottles in your establishment! -- to be fair though, in a country where screwing your fellow man is considered the smart thing to do, charging bottled-water prices for tap water was far from uncommon).
Nowadays, it's expected that water should be served in bottles; it's supposedly more hygienic and it's certainly more profitable for restaurants.
Somebody joked that in Sicily people drink water bottled in the Alps, and in the Alps they drink water bottled in Sicily. It's all great for the economy, of course, and terrible for the environment, but hey, così è la vita.
I had to laugh when a bottle of water here in Australia became more expensive than the same-sized bottle of carbonated syrup drink.
A barman friend charged a client $X for a round, including a bottle of water. One of his regulars scrunched up his face in thought, did the calculations, and said "Did you just charge $6 for a bottle of water?". The reply: "Did you see her blink?". It's been ridiculously normalised. For the record, my hometown is supposedly famous for excellent tapwater for drinking.
Heh, good point. It would have been normal to have some wine, but I don't drink, and didn't want any soft drinks that may have been available. So I probably looked super-cheap. Which, on the tap vs. bottled choice I was kind of being cheap.
I live in the UK now and I just drink tap water everywhere I go. But back where I come from(Poland) nobody drinks tap water. I don't think it's dangerous,or tastes bad, it's just...not something anyone does. I guess it varies by country.
Thanks for mentioning that. I always thought that this was a myth, but it appears that the obligation to provide free drinking water was introduced in the Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order 2010 [1]. Useful to know.
...except the London airports; my father is one of the Inner Circle of people who know there the only water fountain in Gatwick is. (I've never found it.)
I'm in Zürich now. There are water fountains everywhere. I believe you're never further than 100m from one, anywhere in the city? The water quality is superb --- better than most bottled water, they say --- and they run off their own distribution network, which means the water fountains operate as the emergency backup for if the main distribution network goes down. They run continuously, too.
I don't know how it is these days, but the last time I flew through London (maybe 5–7 years ago), I had to connect from LHR to LGW. In one of them (I think LGW), I went searching for a water fountain and couldn't find one. I finally asked an employee, who told me there weren't any.
Gatwick:
"once you're through security, you can use our water fountains or any of our food outlets will be happy to provide you with a glass of tap water."
I didn't say that there wasn't one (now or then), only that I couldn't find one, and that an employee told me there wasn't one—and both those facts are true.
There is on just after security to the right in the north terminal and it's been there for at least 5 years.
Also...
"Responding to Prof Colbourne's comments, a spokesman for airport operator BAA said drinking fountains offering free water were already installed at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Southampton airports."
All of the ones in China? I dont remember any there but maybe I was just used to not seeing any anywhere else in the country so I wasnt looking for them.
I also dont recall drinking fountains in Phnom Penh or Saigon's airports.
Beijing airport had water fountains despite the water not being good to drink and traditional Chinese culture having a stigma against drinking cold water.
Every train station and airport I've been in in my three years here has had a place to get hot water. If you want cold water in a train station you'll have to buy it bottled but Pudong airport in Shanghai has water fountains outside most of the bathrooms as well. I've never flown out of any other Chinese airports.
I remember that the hot/cold water tap was hidden inside the smoker's area in Guangdong, but it was there and plenty of people used it. I'm not sure if they offered free paper cups or if you had to bring your own bottle (which I always do).
I don't think I have ever seen a water fountain in a European airport. I have definitely never seen a water fountain in a WC. Who is regulating the water fountains worldwide?
>unless you have a cup or something and don't mind drinking from the bathroom faucets.
To my understanding, this is no different than using the tap from your kitchen sink. It still comes from pipes and tap water is tap water. It's mostly a mental thing.
Yeah, I'm sure the water's ok there, it's just kind of a PITA to even get at it. Sometimes, too, it comes out at some kind of default warm temperature and you can't change it.
To be fair, you're forgetting that in public restrooms, not only is there more airborne fecal matter and bacteria (which means it statistically settles on surfaces at a higher rate), but that there is often contact between unwashed hands and the faucet's aerator. The latter is even (and especially) true for automatic sinks which have short spouts and the sensor is placed vertically too close to them. This causes/forces people to basically rub the aerator as they wash.
There's fecal matter regardless of where you are. [0] Water coming out of the faucet isn't typically in contact with the exterior of the aerator. The amounts are non-harmful (although possibly still a bit disgusting when you stop to think about it).
Yes, we are all familiar with the Mythbusters episode, which does not take anything away from the fact that particulates will be in higher concentrations inside a public restroom. Increased concentration means increased risk of transference and consumption.
As to your other point, people are not only touching the external edges of the aerator, but the aerator itself, which water does come in contact with.
Lastly, the bacteria present are not non-harmful, and a solid chunk of feces is not required to cause illness. The only reason why these illnesses don't commonly come from restroom faucets and surfaces is that, even though the bacteria are present in the water while washing your hands, the transfer from water, to hands, to mouth is much more difficult and unlikely, especially after drying your hands. However, if you drop those bacteria directly into a glass of water, which goes directly into your mouth, your risk increases dramatically.
Increases dramatically to what? I don't think there have ever been any cases of people being made ill due to drinking water from the taps in a public bathroom anywhere.
Interestingly, the water from the kitchen cold tap in a house is cleaner and safer than bottled water - according to a harm reduction leaflet for IV drug use in the UK, may be different in other countries, admittedly.
A bit of research showed me that the hot tap and kitchen (and bathroom?) taps are often drawn from the main, which is often an uncovered source in the attic which can collect dead bugs/rodents and such and that scenario is fairly common.
I don't imagine many public restrooms draw from an uncovered main like they do in residencies, but I don't live in the U.K. so won't pretend to know such a detail. Furthermore I'm led to believe the cold tap would be fine, it's the hot tap you have to be wary of.
>I don't think there have ever been any cases of people being made ill due to drinking water from the taps in a public bathroom anywhere.
I can't help but imagine that is likely due to the fact very, very, very few people would drink water from the tap of a public bathroom and tracing it down to such a detail would likely prove to be difficult unless many people drank from that bathroom.
E:
To the person who downvoted, mind explaining why attempting to do research into U.K plumbing to educate myself on a difference between U.S plumbing and U.K plumbing is a downvote-worthy offense? I wouldn't think twice about drinking from a U.S public bathroom if I was thirsty. I'm being led to believe I shouldn't from a U.K bathroom due to plumbing differences between the U.S. and the U.K.
If I have collected any misinformation you should instead correct me so that others do not receive wrong information. Thank you.
Unfortunately, it's useless to attempt finding out why someone downvoted you. HN pretends to pride itself on civil discourse, but the reality is that, just like in life, the assholes run the show. It's a shame, because you are exactly right in your reasoning and research.
That's making a lot of assumptions about the plumbing. Especially considering that a lot of public toilets and even hotel indicate that water from the tap is not safe.
For a practical example, in my old flat, the bathroom tap was hooked to the cold water tank that fed the hot water tank, hence potentially unsafe (definitively unsafe before I cleaned it after changing a valve). The kitchen tap was taking water directly from the main. That is BTW quite a typical british setup.
This is getting less common in the UK, usually when a new combi boiler is installed the tank is removed / uninstalled.
But in general it's good advice for the UK as expansion overflow from the hot water system went back into the cold tank (also there might be dead wildlife in the tank).
I think there used to be restrictions about connecting mixer taps directly to the water main (I suspect this changed sometime in the late 80s / early 90s) as I remember a friend getting his shower replumbed so he could get mains water pressure in the shower and it seemed like a newish building regulation thing.
I think virtually all new installations are mains water pressure throughout.
European capitalism destroying old American traditions and cultures just sounds wrong to your ears when you are so used to the narrative of McDonald’s and Hollywood taking over the world.
In Germany I think I saw a dedicated drinking fountain only once. There are of course fountains, but most of the time there is a sign on them saying "Kein Trinkwasser" ("no drinking water"). We have exceptionally good tap water and I think only very few Germans fear to drink it. I notice it every time I brush my teeth in another country, it just tastes bad. So they got us with another trick: Germans are just used to sparkling water.
That is a valuable lock-in lesson: Add an unimportant but prominent usage-detail to your product as long as your customers need it so when an alternative comes along they are just used to it and too lazy to switch. Works best when your customers are children.
The "no drinking water" signs have to do with health requirements for drinking water.
Water for firefighting, for example, has to be isolated from drinking water to prevent any risk of contamination. Due to how it is used, this water may have to be stored for very long periods of time and provides a breeding ground for all kinds of things you wouldn't want in your drinking water (e.g. legionella).
I'm fairly certain most (non-drinking) fountains use something like a semi-closed loop system where the same water just circulates through the fountain and fresh water is only used to replace any water lost to evaporation or spilling. This means the water is easily contaminated and therefore not suitable for drinking.
In some public restrooms (though this seems very rare), even the tap water is labelled as not safe for drinking. In these cases the tap water is likely not sufficiently isolated from the water tank for firefighting and therefore not safe despite coming from drinking water.
The primary reasons I don't drink from water fountains often are there isn't enough water pressure and it feels like you have to kiss the fountain to get water or someone spit in the fountain.
Solve those two problems and people will use them like crazy. At U of M the fountains are everywhere. They even have little Counters saying how many bottles of water they have saved.
Mounting them upside-down might help with the power problem.
Another issue is the run-off, often the base of them is surrounded by muddy mess, bowls for dogs to drink out of, whatever. Proper drainage and some awareness of less common use cases would also be important.
I've seen those too. I don't care whether or not they have a filter (my water bottle does), but I do like that it just makes it way more convenient to top off the water bottle. Before, I had to tilt the bottle and that would mean I couldn't fill it all the way.
These things are awesome and I wish they were more places. I always carry my water bottle with me and just refill it. It carries twice and some of what a normal water bottle costs and is more convenient to use. I do use the bottled water machine most of the time because it's cooled and we don't have ice or I'd use the tap. I only use the tap at home.
This seems like a much more reasonable solution than a fountain. People do not interact with it directly so there should be less biological contamination. Further, you can take it with you which means you will get more of it when you need it, thus staying hydrated. Most fountains I have seen are poorly maintained and have growth or corrosion of the faucet. Bundle that in with how awkward it is to use, and how many other strangers are putting their mouth close to it, it really doesn't seem worth it for a mouthful.
The one at my local university dispenses chilled water with light carbonation. I wish I had one of those at home. Tap water doesn't get any fancier than this.
I always drink tap water here in the Netherlands, in the US where I have been (Houston, New Orleans, Boston, Long Beach) the water just tastes like it came from a swimming pool. So much chlorine, I couldn't drink it. In San Fransisco it was relatively ok though, still a faint chlorine taste but drinkable. I understand the difficulty of maintaining such a large water distribution net but I certainly switch to bottled water when I'm in the US.
I do like the fact that you can get free water almost everywhere, there was often a large can and cups on the bar, free to take. Here a tap water is sometimes as expensive as a beer (in a bar obviously).
> I understand the difficulty of maintaining such a large water distribution net
I don't think that's what you're noticing. Water distribution tends to be pretty localized, and taste can vary quite a lot in different cities and regions depending on how it's treated and where it comes from. Be sure to taste the water in New York City if you get to visit; it's very tasty.
I really disagree. Coming from Denmark, having lived in NYC for 6 months, it was exactly as the parent described it: As if drinking out of a swimming pool. Further, even the salads at restaurants could taste terrible because of the water they used to rinse it.
Funny you should say that. I'm in NYC and I like the tap water. When I travel--like to Texas recently--I can't drink the tap water, it tastes horrible to me. And New Yorkers take a lot of pride in our water actually, it tastes hugely different from most of the rest of the country. Goes to show how personal taste is I guess.
>The dam, aqueduct and appurtenant hydroelectric systems are collectively known as the Hetch Hetchy Project. Deriving from a largely wild and pristine area of the Sierra Nevada, the Hetch Hetchy supply is some of the cleanest municipal water in the US, requiring only primary filtration and disinfection.
I have to stick up for the taste of San Francisco water; To me it tastes really good? Not as good as Marin County water, but good. The best water I have ever tasted is Water from Lake Tahoe. As a kid, my dad used to take us to this cabin, and even as kids--we really liked the taste of that mineral water. The worst water I have had is San Diego water. (These are familiar places if you live in CA.)
> I do like the fact that you can get free water almost everywhere, there was often a large can and cups on the bar, free to take. Here a tap water is sometimes as expensive as a beer (in a bar obviously).
Wow in most of Europe this would not be legal. Are you sure your local laws allow this?
I've frequently been told that it's illegal but most European countries that I've lived in or visit don't act like it's illegal. Some places' worst bars even have signs up that suggest they will not help you if you aren't paying.
Are you sure it's not legal? I increasingly get the feeling that this is an urban myth based on wishful thinking.
Depends upon country+. I know of a few European ones where this is the case. Check for your country (several people have posted the UK government's summary of UK legislation already). One often has to specify the actual law that the company is breaking for things like this before the business acts in accordance with the law.
In one place I've had someone try to bill me for the ice and lemon in the jug of tap water (with no prior indication that they would be doing so). So yeah lot's of places will try to break this law.
EDIT
+ and if you're actually a customer of the business...
What I encounter in Dutch restaurants is that they give you (sometimes ridiculously expensive) bottled water when you ask for 'water', and when you ask for 'tap water' they say they only serve bottled water.
Yeah. The lack of complimentary water at restaurants is probably my biggest complaint about traveling in Europe. When I sit down, I want a big damn glass of water immediately. This is the standard in the US, and I really miss it in Europe. Like you said, even ordering water is a trial when you don't speak the language. Learning "water" isn't hard, but remembering between it and "tap water" is hard, and the waiter has a decent excuse for failing to get your order right. And they usually treat you like cheap scum for failing to order an expensive drink. Ugh.
How can selling water at a commercial establishment be illegal? Bottled water industry would be out of business, as some of them are known to resell tap water too. I'm from Europe too, by the way, and don't see the big deal. I'd say around here it's pretty split - around a half of places will offer free water, and a half will offer it for money (not for beer prices though).
Not sure if it's illegal here, but in South Africa restaurants are expected to serve you tap water if you ask for it. Doing otherwise would be rude, and most waiters (even at pubs) will clarify if you want 'bottled or tap' and 'with ice and lemon.'
I have noticed a strange phenomenon in Europe too, please forgive me if I'm generalising as I'm aware it's a big place, but people there seem like they won't do something without getting paid.
Example: delivery personnel who would deliver a refrigerator up to your door (but not further, into the kitchen) and a plumber who refused to even discuss what the options were for a problem we were having that was not what he had been called in for.
That doesn't happen here. Instead, the delivery guy usually helps you unpack the item of delivery, and the plumber will offer his opinion on a job he was not necessarily called in to fix.
Once again, standard disclaimer, this is anecdata, apologies for the generalisation.
> That doesn't happen here. Instead, the delivery guy usually helps you unpack the item of delivery, and the plumber will offer his opinion on a job he was not necessarily called in to fix.
And how much are you expected to tip these people?
Sounds like a cool place to live. Over here a plumber will give you a consultation, but regarding delivery, if you live at an appartment the delivery guy will deliver to the building, if you want it delivered to the doors of your appartment, it will cost extra, per floor. Installation will probably be additional expenses. Sure some retailers offer full delivery and installation for free (or included in price), but then it will be explicitly stated.
I don't know about the rest of Europe, but in Germany bars have to provide free tap water if you ask for it. They also have to offer at least one non-alcoholic drink that's cheaper than the cheapest alcoholic drink, IIRC.
Where I come from if you sell alcohol you have to offer tap water for free. (You can obviously sell bottled water as well.) This is the case in several other countries as well. I have several times been forced to quote the law to a bar or restaurant when they attempt to illegally charge for tap water.
In the UK, if an establishment serves alcohol, they must also provide free tap water at request. It was designed with binge drinking in mind. Most places do still sell bottled water though.
IIRC in the UK it is a requirement of alcohol licensing laws that tap water be available for free to customers (this is second hand from someone who was getting their license some years ago).
Ofc I would expect it to vary by country. In general though everywhere here will try and sell you bottled water but give you tap water on request.
Edit: God dammit i need to refresh tabs before I reply.
I was under the impression is was also illegal in Netherland, but some googling suggested it might not be illegal and there's some debate around it. My experience is that tap water is always free, but not everybody likes serving free water and some try to get you expensive bottled water instead.
It's completely ridiculous to buy bottled water here. We've got the best tap water in the world.
Well, I can only speak for Denmark, but here you are obliged by law to give water to anyone who asks. At certain restaurants though (the Louisiana museum for instance), the waiter will sometimes politely refer you to the bathroom if you ask for (free) tap water (hinting you should buy it from the restaurant).
Reason being most restaurants earn their money from beverages (especially wine).
When I visited Sofia, Bulgaria, it was amazing to see people carry bottles over to this square where there's natural hot spring water. The water really tastes great and it was so much fun just being around there. People don't seem to feel awkward about bringing lots of bottles with them and stocking up on water.
In Berlin, where I live now, there are fully functioning manual water pumps in some streets. People don't really use them much, but there's something quite charming about them too.
Let's start with the assumption (not necessarily true) that one who drinks from a public water fountain consumes significantly more germs than one who drinks bottled water. Is this even a bad thing? I would think that this regular exposure could help strengthen the immune system.
I'm personally uncertain if anything like this is backed by research.
Back in the 80s, the concern was not germs, but heavy metals. That's 100% understandable. If somebody told me there was lead in my tap water (and I believed them) I'd switch to bottled water in a heartbeat. But according to the article, the municipalities responded and got the metals out of the water, so I guess the problem is misinformation?
They give advice that if you live in a house with lead pipes to run the water for a few minutes before using it if the pipes have been still for a while.
When I was elementary school age I saw some older kids at the park taking turns peeing on a drinking fountain (and laughing). I have used public drinking fountains since, but only when the need was severe.
Reminds me of the Parks & Rec episode where they're trying to prevent residents from putting their mouths entirely around the fountain's spout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujpnXoMeXmY Hilarious.
What they did is gross and immature and sure there's the ick factor, but the water flows one-way out of the fountain and you don't have to touch it to drink.
Not sure why you were downvoted. This is both a good idea and is actually done: brass, which is commonly used for outdoor water fixtures, is naturally antimicrobial (including E. coli) due to its copper content: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_properties_of_co...
When I first came to US, I didn't mind drinking public fountain. But one day, I walked by one and a dog was drinking from it, licking all over it in the process. From that day onward, I stopped.
Still, I have to wonder: is that reasonable of me? And otherwise, is it expected to let your pet sharing the same water source with human?
Here in Seattle, quite a few water fountains in public parks have a 2nd fountain at ground level for pets. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that all dog owners will be courteous enough to use them, but at least it's a start.
In reality, though, all kind of other gross things are going to get on outdoor fountains even if we keep the dogs away, not the least of which comes from the other people who used them before you.
My understanding (and this is just what I've heard, not something I've investigated) is that if you let a well-maintained fountain run long enough, say 10 seconds, before drinking from it, it's almost certainly fine. Of course, this assumes there isn't any visible contamination on there that the water's flowing through. In short, I don't hesitate to use them if they look OK.
Evolution of parents:
1. First baby - pacifier gets sterilized between uses
2. Second baby - pacifier goes through dishwasher between uses
3. Third baby - pacifier held out so dog can lick it clean between uses
If you don't actually touch the faucet and let the water run for a few seconds before drinking it, what's the danger? Anything that the dog would've put on it would be washed away, no?
Dog parks usually have double fountains, one near the ground for dogs and a taller one that's more accessible for humans.
I don't blame you for feeling a bit disgusted, but it's possible that the salivary/gut bacteria of dogs might actually confer a benefit on humans' immune systems. There's a study underway at the University of Arizona to investigate this: http://www.uadogstudy.org/thestudy/
Dogs stereotypically have bad breath but a healthy dog on a healthy diet should smell OK. There are variations within breeds (and probably within humans in how those scents are perceived). Many dogs like to give kisses to express affection so if you get a dog in the future it's something you'll quickly get used to.
I've seen a friend French-kiss his dog (he relished grossing other people out) and he didn't seem worse for it. Of course I wouldn't do it myself, but it can't be as bad as you think it might be.
Given the abrasive nature of the dog's tongue and the anti-septic nature of its saliva, if the fountain wasn't clean before the dog used it, it certainly was afterwards.
But it doesn't really matter if the outside of the fountain is clean or not as long as you don't actually put your mouth on the fountain. All you care about is the water pipes inside the fountain, and those are just as clean as water pipes any where else.
> All you care about is the water pipes inside the fountain, and those are just as clean as water pipes any where else.
I don't see why they would be, especially on the end close to the outlet. I mean, lots of water pipes don't have an open end, facing upward and at angle, exposed to the outdoor environment. Sure, water fountains have shields over the outlet to minimize environmental contaminants entering them, but the fact that they are in a position to need them is an issue.
Now, it may be that in normal use the additional contamination doesn't significant additional danger (I'd expect this to be true inversely with frequency of use, all else being equal), but I wouldn't think it would be "as clean as water pipes anywhere else".
What exactly is antiquated about the design of modern water fountains? How could the designers of the water fountain effectively and reasonably communicate that the water fountain is safe to drink from, and do so for the design life of the fixture?
Sure, some water fountains look old...but I imagine that if you live in a major city, odds are (from a logistical standpoint, unless you live in a new subdivision) the tap water to your house or apartment flows through pipes that are older than that water fountain. A dog drinking from the fountain is gross, but I'm not sure the onus is on the designer to totally prevent people from acting silly.
Good design can always find a solution -- off the top of my head, integrating some kind of sterile recyclable mouthpiece dispenser would assuage most concerns
In the case of potable water valves, this is accomplished by preventing backflow and being made out of a hard smooth material. When you turn on a drinking fountain, the stream of water flushes any loose dirt and debris, so as long as you avoid contact with the fountain (the stream should be adjusted so that this is easy), there isn't going to be significant transfer of anything.
The design is not antiquated; actually it's pretty brilliant. However, if the water pressure is insufficient, the main protection doesn't work. And that's distressingly common.
Nine times out of ten, when I go to a water fountain, it's barely a trickle, so I'd have to put my mouth right on the spout to get any water. After this happening a number of times, you sort of give up after a while.
I think it might be impossible for those of us who have used fountains, but now don't trust them anymore. I've seen people urinating/vandalizing fountains in Metro Detroit and would never use them again.
In Denmark I rarely, if ever, see water fountains. If I saw one, I would never drink from it. For me, personally, it's a sanitary issue. There also seems to be studies that link them with pathogens and bacteria, wikipedia links to some[0].
If you chase that link down, you find it is referring to the presence of pathogens on the handles of toilets, the surfaces of water fountains, and other moist surfaces like water play tables, in child day care centers. This is not the same thing as transmission through the stream of water itself.
My take away from that is to be careful of touching such surfaces, but not to worry about the stream of water.
Yeah, I stopped drinking at water fountains after I realized that half the kids I saw drinking from them were practically swallowing the spigot whole. It's not tap water I'm afraid of, it's the distribution device. It's a attractive breeding-ground for every form of nasty.
If you don't touch it with your mouth and run it for a few seconds you'll be just fine.
Also the human body spends all day killing most common bacteria, mold, and similar. You don't even know it is happening. If you got sick every time you came in contact with another person's bodily fluids then you'd be sick almost daily, you'd certainly never go out to eat again, or ride public transport.
My point is, your fears are entirely unfounded. Water fountains are fine.
It's like the people that open the restroom door with a paper towel. They must realize that the people who don't was their hands touch all the other doorknobs as well?
I'd guess the bathroom door is probably the cleanest knob you'd encounter (since lots of people wash their hands before leaving).
Sidenote, when I finish drying my hands I use the towel to open the door. First, why not. Second, the handle usually has some water on it, and I just dried my hands.
Blugh, I can't count the number of times I've watched guys walk out without washing their hands. I don't get it. Is it just a guy thing, or is it common everywhere?
That's a good point, and it's what I do when I need to drink from a fountain. I just got back from Egypt, you should see their solution: clay pot, one cup, everyone drinks from it :) Side-note, after having a child, I've found myself getting more germ-adverse, not less. I'm not sure why.
The opposite of a drinking fountain is The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, according to Wikipedia: The Great Pacific garbage patch, also described as the Pacific trash vortex, is a gyre of increased marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135°W to 155°W and 35°N and 42°N. The patch extends over an indeterminate area, with estimates ranging very widely depending on the degree of plastic concentration used to define the affected area.
If you wonder where these huge collections of garbage come from, drinking bottled beverages contributes.
Tap-water is very much a hit-or-miss here in Germany. In some cities (like Berlin) it's almost hazardous, while in other cities it's very drinkable. The tubes the water passes also make a big difference (there are still lot's of lead tubes lying around in old houses).
We got our-self a home reverse-osmosis filter system that clears water of most particles and drink very clean water with abandon (~1 ppm non-water particles). It's really a luxury worth having, especially with kinds. Plus, no carrying around bottled water.
And no, the lack of minerals in the water did not kill any of us.. that's a fable. In fact, your body will only absorb minerals from water it if it can't get it from other food sources that have them in a more optimal chemical bounding.
> Tap-water is very much a hit-or-miss here in Germany. In some cities (like Berlin) it's almost hazardous, while in other cities it's very drinkable.
I'd like to see a source for that. Tap water in Berlin is perfectly fine and drinkable. Tap water is actually held to standards that are at least as strict as bottled water. The only issue that can possibly arise is that you're living in an old house that still has lead piping, though those are very uncommon today. If you're in doubt you can have your water tested for 20 EUR, if there's a pregnant person or an infant in the household it's free: http://www.bwb.de/content/language1/html/blei.php
> In some cities (like Berlin) it's almost hazardous, while in other cities it's very drinkable.
I've been drinking tap water in Berlin every day for three years now. I had no problems and find it quite tasty. Do you have a source (pun intended) for that?
How sterile are water reservoirs and lakes? My guess is they're full of pooping and dying fish, bugs, god knows what. The big city nearby me pump drinking water out of the same lake they pump treated and untreated sewage into. The suburb I live in at least uses well water. My point is if the source of the water is full of living and dead animals and bugs then worrying about homeless people peeing on the fountain remains gross but is no longer a serious concern. Pumping that same water into a bottle and charging a large amount of money for it doesn't make the problem go away either.
Here in Germany, water is the best protected good that we have - maybe apart from beer :o) - and that is as it should be. It usually tastes good and I use it all the time (stopped buying bottled water long ago).
In a bar or restaurant, tap water has to be free. They don't like that and try to sell you more expensive stuff, but the law requires free water. Great, isn't it?
I was indeed shocked by the amount of chlorine that I tasted in Californian water (I regularly work in Pasadena).
"There is no water fountain at the Munich airport"
True and not necessary. You may go to the restrooms and use the tap there. Sound a bit weird, but the water is as pure as everywhere else (make sure the tap is clean) and as the water flows more or less non stop, it is even very cold.
We usually refill our empty bottles there after security.
In some parts of China, (frequently older) people routinely spend an hour or more lugging empty bottles up mountain paths to natural springs in order to gather spring water for drinking. (The character for a spring is 泉 which is water 水 beneath a 白 which means something like white/clear/plain but was allegedly originally a pictograph of an acorn!)
hmmm article sites Causation but really means correlation.
"The disappearance of water fountains has hurt public health. Centers for Disease Control researcher Stephen Onufrak has found that the less young people trust water fountains, the more sugary beverages they drink"
- That doesn't sound like an actual study to me, just a hunch....
Not mentioned is that much of the tap water in the US tastes much worse than it did 30 years ago due to increased standards which require water districts to add more and more cleaning agents to the water. Cleaner tap water leads to greater use of less-clean bottled water.
In Manhattan, almost everyone carries water bottles (CambelBak is common) or they refill their store bought water bottles which are carried in bottle pockets on their knapsacks.
Columbia University (at least some schools there) give out water bottles and have special water fountains which have an overhead spout that fills water bottles and has a LED counter.
