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The drinking fountain button

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Re: The drinking fountain button

#91

Post by TeMPOraL »

bombcar wrote: post #78
weinzierl wrote: post #32

"Who among us hasn’t walked up to a drinking fountain, expecting a bubbling stream of life-giving water, only to experience the crushing disappointment of a measly trickle after smashing in that button?" That'd be me. I traveled quite a bit all over the world and these seem to be a pretty American thing. It's also a bit strange because for the countries that have them it is generally not recommended to drink tap wate…

From my travels the USA is way more concerned with water-saving devices, even in areas where there really is no water conservatory problems. Toilets in Europe will still seem to flush using the full power of Niagara Falls, which are quite rare in the US now.

You use more water flushing, or more water scrubbing your hands, after having to scrub your toilet due to insufficient flushing pressure.

Re: The drinking fountain button

#94

Post by embedded_hiker »

alistairSH wrote: post #66
tichiian wrote: post #2

I wish Europe had any drinking fountains. Even extremely-high-traffic public areas such as airports and train stations have but a few or (usually) none.

What countries do have them? In the US, they seem to exist in offices and schools. Airports tend to have them, and often with a bottle filler on the side, which is great since we can't carry water through security. But, just walking down the street, truly public water? Is that a thing anywhere in the US, or elsewhere?

Portland Oregon has the "Benson Bubblers": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Bubbler

Re: The drinking fountain button

#95

Post by organsnyder »

bombcar wrote: post #77
tnmom wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just you; in my comparatively sane state most were never turned off and those that were came back within a few months.

Even around here there's a few that seem to still be off, and I think just because nobody ever bothered to complain or turn them back on. Someday I'll get arsed enough to figure out where the valve/plug is. Don't even get me started on water fountains that require power .

As someone who always keeps a carafe of ice water at my desk, I really appreciate the output of properly-maintained chilling water fountains.

Re: The drinking fountain button

#96

Post by bombcar »

organsnyder wrote: post #95
bombcar wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even around here there's a few that seem to still be off, and I think just because nobody ever bothered to complain or turn them back on. Someday I'll get arsed enough to figure out where the valve/plug is. Don't even get me started on water fountains that require power .

As someone who always keeps a carafe of ice water at my desk, I really appreciate the output of properly-maintained chilling water fountains.

I'm fine with chilling water fountains, I just wish they were designed so that they'd still dispense water without power.

Re: The drinking fountain button

#97

Post by DoughnutHole »

bombcar wrote: post #78
weinzierl wrote: post #32

"Who among us hasn’t walked up to a drinking fountain, expecting a bubbling stream of life-giving water, only to experience the crushing disappointment of a measly trickle after smashing in that button?" That'd be me. I traveled quite a bit all over the world and these seem to be a pretty American thing. It's also a bit strange because for the countries that have them it is generally not recommended to drink tap wate…

From my travels the USA is way more concerned with water-saving devices, even in areas where there really is no water conservatory problems. Toilets in Europe will still seem to flush using the full power of Niagara Falls, which are quite rare in the US now.

Possibly an instance of the California effect?

National manufacturers have to design toilets for western states where conservation is a huge issue - might just be cheaper to sell those toilets nationwide than to have a different product line for wetter states.

Re: The drinking fountain button

#98

Post by organsnyder »

SoftTalker wrote: post #63
chrsw wrote: post #14

Where I'm from those fountains rarely even worked.

When I lived in Chicago the public water fountains just ran all the time. There was no button. The city is right on Lake Michigan so they have an abundant supply of fresh water. As I understand it, for many years they did not even meter water for residential service, you just paid a flat fee every month.

Our service is metered over on the other side of the lake (Grand Rapids, MI), but I can only remember a couple of times we've had to restrict water usage (odd-even sprinkling was the worst of it) in the almost 40 years I can remember. Lake Michigan is a hell of a reservoir.

Re: The drinking fountain button

#99

Post by luxuryballs »

weinzierl wrote: post #32

"Who among us hasn’t walked up to a drinking fountain, expecting a bubbling stream of life-giving water, only to experience the crushing disappointment of a measly trickle after smashing in that button?" That'd be me. I traveled quite a bit all over the world and these seem to be a pretty American thing. It's also a bit strange because for the countries that have them it is generally not recommended to drink tap wate…

perhaps where nobody is drinking the water there’s also no rationing of pressure or incentive to minimize flow for cost savings

Re: The drinking fountain button

#100

Post by throwup238 »

DoughnutHole wrote: post #97
bombcar wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From my travels the USA is way more concerned with water-saving devices, even in areas where there really is no water conservatory problems. Toilets in Europe will still seem to flush using the full power of Niagara Falls, which are quite rare in the US now.

Possibly an instance of the California effect? National manufacturers have to design toilets for western states where conservation is a huge issue - might just be cheaper to sell those toilets nationwide than to have a different product line for wetter states.

It's due to the Energy Policy Act of 1992: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_1992#Impa...

It set a max volume for toilet flushes of 1.6 gallons and since it's a federal law, it covers everyone.

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