We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health • Hacker News Board

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#111

Post by vonklaus » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:24 AM UTC

nosuchthing wrote: post #5

Been seeing these water bottle refill stations pop up around: http://blog.hughessupply.com/files/2011/11/EZH2O_Single_L_Fi...

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.

+1 for filling stations.

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#112

Post by jaggederest » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:40 AM UTC

Frondo wrote: post #58

jarcoal wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed! I haven't seen a "normal" drinking fountain in Portland in ages. That said, I have seen homeless people do unspeakable things with them, so my trust is rattled.

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.

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#113

Post by pantalaimon » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:41 AM UTC

ra1n85 wrote: post #3

NhanH wrote: post #2

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?

Of course it's reasonable of you. The burden of proof is on the water fountain (or more specifically, the designers of the water fountain) as to whether drinking from it is safe. This is not a problem with being overly cautious. This is a problem with an antiquated design.

For most of human history, the water we drank was not nearly as 'safe' as the one from that fountain - somehow we still made it to this day and age.

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#114

Post by JupiterMoon » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:41 AM UTC

teekert wrote: post #106

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…

> 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?

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#115

Post by JupiterMoon » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:45 AM UTC

dogma1138 wrote: post #45

davidw wrote: post #28

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, on…

There are water fountains in every airport in Europe (and pretty much the world, it's regulatory) they are usually located in or near the restrooms. Not to mention that pretty much every restaurant will give you tap water for free.

It can be hard to find them though. I think that they are only required to have one and they aren't required to advertise it's location..

(If I'm wrong please let me know as I spend ages trying to find it usually).

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#116

Post by koyote » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:45 AM UTC

frenchies wrote: post #71

dogma1138 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Name any commercial or international airport without water fountains.

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.

Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou airport definitely have water fountains.

So I'm not sure what you are talking about. Maybe some of the smaller regional ones?

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#117

Post by JupiterMoon » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:45 AM UTC

JadeNB wrote: post #75

dogma1138 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Name any commercial or international airport without water fountains.

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.

Not true. There is one (there must be by law). They don't have to tell you where it is though.

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#118

Post by provemewrong » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:48 AM UTC

JupiterMoon wrote: post #114

teekert wrote: post #106

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…

> 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?

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).

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#119

Post by Robadob » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:56 AM UTC

provemewrong wrote: post #118

JupiterMoon wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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?

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).

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.

Re: We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health

#120

Post by JupiterMoon » Tue, Jul 14, 2015, 8:58 AM UTC

provemewrong wrote: post #118

JupiterMoon wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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?

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).

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.