Before You Drink: The Hygiene Check

Five ordered steps, each with the time it takes, before you take a drink from a public fountain.

Step 1 — Look at the spout and nozzle, about 5 seconds. Check that the nozzle rim is clear and that excess water is running back down over the sides of the nozzle rather than pooling on the deck.

Step 2 — Let the water run first, about 10 seconds. It is recommended to let a drinking fountain run before drinking, especially for young children, because water standing in older plumbing can pick up lead.

Step 3 — Watch the jet height, about 5 seconds. The original Bubbler shot water one inch straight into the air; a jet behaving roughly like that is the expected pattern, and the excess water runs back down over the nozzle sides.

Step 4 — Avoid touching the nozzle, 0 seconds of contact. Contact with the nozzle body is the route by which residue passes from one user to the next, and some governments require spouts as long as four inches to keep the drinking point clear of the fixture.

Step 5 — Skip fountains in buildings with obsolete plumbing, a decision before you approach. The lead problem is especially common in older buildings with obsolete plumbing, and a short run does not remove that risk.

• Look at the spout and nozzle — about 5 seconds.
• Let the water run first — about 10 seconds.
• Watch the jet height of about one inch — about 5 seconds.
• Do not touch the nozzle — no contact.
• Skip the fountain if the building has obsolete plumbing.

Further reading

• Bubblers, Spouts and Jets: The Types
• Milestones: From 1859 London to the Double Bubbler