What in the world ever happened to public water fountains? To tell you the truth, I never stopped to consider where they went, until I read an article in WaPo. In a world where water bottles are ubiquitous, and we continue to purchase them to stay hydrated, why are we not thinking about providing water pit stops at public parks and along commercial corridors.
The WaPo article is a fascinating and scary look at how America went from celebrating the water fountain to abandoning it in the wake of bottled water and water purification systems. Now it’s easier for a kid to walk into a corner store and buy a sugary drink, instead of simply walking up to a water fountain and taking a swig.
Some cities are taking a look back at the positive effects that water fountains have on our communities. From health to environmental issues, it’s amazing how far we have come, only to look back and realize that we strayed from what is more natural and sensible.