Call To Bring Back Water Fountains To Cut Down On Plastic Waste

[naomi24]

Good idea?

http://news.sky.com/story/bid-to-bring-back-water-fountains-to-cut-down-on-plastic-waste-10933966

[Islay]

Whilst the idea is sound I will be honest I would not be happy drinking from them as you never know what the person before has done to the spout before you!!
Yes I know you are not supposed to actually drink from the spout but there are some mingers out there!!

[rockyracoon]

In theory it's a good idea, but unless you have thousands dotted around the place then people will need some kind of (plastic) vessel to fill up with the water. I know we can all carry around a bottle designed for this purpose but when you're out for the day it's not really something you think about, well, I don't

[rockyracoon]

I've never managed to drink properly from a fountain so don't bother, I end up having to wipe the water away from my face.

[Cloverjo]

I think so. If not the old-fashioned type fountains - I don't really want to put my mouth over something like that - but at least a tap where we can refill our water bottles. Especially at airports.

It's really annoying to have to guzzle down my water before going through security and then have to find a hygienic way to refill my bottle or buy a new one.

[Prudie]

Good idea yes but doesn't work in today's H&S mad culture. We have them at work but they have to come with plastic cups (decreed by H&S) for the exact reason Islay has mentioned.

[scooping]

Wonder if local councils will have the money to install and maintain them. With so many idiots around, who might tamper with them and adulterate the water, wouldn't use them.

[Zacs-Master]

So they think that all the bottled water companies will stop producing if this happens? Yeah, right.

[Old_Geezer]

Most barely managed a quarter inch water spout anyway. Wasn't keen on using them as a kid, less so now. I doubt they'd be popular enough. Already restored ones fall back into disuse, don't they ?

[ummmm]

Nice idea but I wouldn't use one.

[KARL]

This works very well in many other countries, although the prerequisite of paying for something "exclusive" before it becomes acceptable is widespread in "developed" countries (what development ?). However, as the above posts show, with current attitudes it is (in my opinion) especially unlikely to be widely accepted/used in the UK, attitudes would have to change.

Cloverjo, we take our empty bottles through security and refill them on the other side. A few airports have fountains for refilling them (most notably Edinburgh, just past security) but elsewhere we go to a convenient café, bar or other and ask them to refill - we have never detected even the slightest reluctance.

[anotheoldgit]

I rember the cast iron ones, mainly situated in public parks, they had a cast iron cup attached to the fountain by a chain.

No one drank out of the cup, one put the palm of one's hand under the running water and drank from that.

[agchristie]

BA for Old Geyser! ;-)