Drinking fountains to be trialled at London Charing Cross

[sheff1]

I do feel slightly bemused that people feel they must carry around a bottle of water wherever they go. Yes, we need to drink it but do we really need it available 24/7? Would it create a crisis if were without it for a short part of our day?
I'm obviously not including anybody that might, for example, have a medical need.

^^ this. I have been travelling around the UK for decades and have never felt the need to carry water with me. The only time I do carry water is when flying, as that can sometimes make me dehydrated.

Back to the question of drinking fountains. In my experience most airports do seem to have them and it seems a good idea for major stations to have them as well for those people who do need/want a drink.

 

[infobleep]

The Drinking Fountain Association, founded in 1859 and previously known as the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association, has a useful website include a directory of locations of drinking fountains.

See http://drinkingfountains.org/

I didn't release they still existed. They are mentioned in Dickens Dictionary of London. In around 1883, there were 800 drinking fountains and cattle troughs. It was estimated that 300,000 people took advantage daily. Within a 24 hour period it was also said that 1,800 horses made use of the cattle troughs.

Some of these troughs are now listed but I doubt any are still in use. If anyone knows of any that are in working condition do let us know.

The source of my information is from Dickens Dictionary of London. Fifth edition published in 1883. The fourth edition is available online so I suspect the info on drinking Fountains was collected for the first edition, which would have been issued in 1879. Charles Dickens was the son of the famous author.

Link to fourth edition:
https://archive.org/details/dickenssdictiona00dick

 

[HowardGWR]

I didn't release they still existed.

I suspect you are very young. In my youth (1950s) every public park had one. They were also to be found by every horse trough, of which there were many and on statue plinths.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suspect you are very young. In my youth (1950s) every public park had one. They were also to be found by every horse trough, of which there were many and on statue plinths.

And of course their presence was a reason not to need to carry water.

 

[cuccir]

^^ this. I have been travelling around the UK for decades and have never felt the need to carry water with me. The only time I do carry water is when flying, as that can sometimes make me dehydrated.

Back to the question of drinking fountains. In my experience most airports do seem to have them and it seems a good idea for major stations to have them as well for those people who do need/want a drink.

I'm never without water; I don't understand how people go without it for so long and can only conclude that they must always have a dehydration headache! It helps living in the North though, where water is genuinely tasty; when I'm visiting London in particular my consumption goes down.

In usual circumstances, I have a bottle that I refill and probably require a fresh bottle every 3-4 months, but train travel is probably the main time I end up buying an extra bottle, so water fountains at stations would be a great thing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm never without water; I don't understand how people go without it for so long and can only conclude that they must always have a dehydration headache! It helps living in the North though, where water is genuinely tasty; when I'm visiting London in particular my consumption goes down.

The worst I recall having was the tap water in Sicily, where it tasted milky (I guess a high calcium content or something). I like milk, but I don't find it particularly refreshing and can't really drink it on a full stomach even if thirsty. I found it really hard to stay hydrated in the heat there unless I bought mineral water. While I'm no great fan of the swimming pool water you get in some parts of the UK it is at least vaguely drinkable.

In usual circumstances, I have a bottle that I refill and probably require a fresh bottle every 3-4 months, but train travel is probably the main time I end up buying an extra bottle, so water fountains at stations would be a great thing.

I do recommend the "Klean Kanteen" stainless steel bottles. They retain a clean taste, don't ever leach anything into the water, and if they start getting a bit "musty" in taste a quick sterilisation with a kettle of boiling water (could probably use one as an iron when doing that ) brings it back to new again. They aren't cheap, but often it's a case of "buy cheap, buy twice", and the finest "eau du robinet de Bletchley" tastes nicer from one than anything in a plastic bottle.

You can also use them as hot water bottles when camping - I have done this!

 

[jon0844]

Well, that depends on the part of the UK in which you live!

It tastes particularly nice in Peckham I believe.

 

[Starmill]

It's very unseemly how some people in this thread think it's OK to question other people's choices regarding drinking water.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's very unseemly how some people in this thread think it's OK to question other people's choices regarding drinking water.

Given that one particular choice, the drinking of mineral water from plastic bottles, has significant negative environmental impact, I see no reason why doing so should be immune from question.

 

[Starmill]

If you want to question someone wasting plastic then that's fine, but several people seem to be questioning the need for access to clean drinking water at all. I don't see how this is something up for discussion, so I will leave my comments on the matter here.

 

[sheff1]

If you want to question someone wasting plastic then that's fine, but several people seem to be questioning the need for access to clean drinking water at all.

You must be seeing more posts than me. I have not seen anyone questioning the need for access to clean drinking water.

 

[JohnRegular]

If you want to question someone wasting plastic then that's fine, but several people seem to be questioning the need for access to clean drinking water at all. I don't see how this is something up for discussion, so I will leave my comments on the matter here.

This thread has me bemused as well. Suggestions that it's silly to carry water around, or that we are 'obsessed' with water. It's almost as if it's essential that we regularly consume water in order to live.

I say bring on more public drinking fountains, they can't be bank breaking to install in key stations.

 

[Starmill]

I can't remember the last time I went out without a bottle of water. It would be a bit like going out without my wallet.

 

[Bromley boy]

I can't remember the last time I went out without a bottle of water. It would be a bit like going out without my wallet.

That seems a little unusual. Do you take a bag with you or carry it in your hands?

I'd certainly take one with me to the gym, or buy one when out and about, but wouldn't usually carry one with me.

It's always disposable plastic bottles in my case, I'm afraid, until a better option presents itself.

 

[nbdm]

Surprised nobody has mentioned:
Perhaps this initiative will increase the number of people paying 30p/50p to use the toilet?

I think we don't have enough public water fountains, most foreign airports have them all over the place. I've seen a couple in Heathrow but not well placed or many of them.
In Melbourne they are everywhere, granted they have a different climate to us but their winters are a bit like our summers.
We do have some of the best quality tap water in the world (even if it does vary by area) I think we definitely take it for granted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't remember the last time I went out without a bottle of water. It would be a bit like going out without my wallet.

If I go out with a bag I normally have a bottle on the side, it doesn't always get consumed though.

 

[DarloRich]

If you want to question someone wasting plastic then that's fine, but several people seem to be questioning the need for access to clean drinking water at all. I don't see how this is something up for discussion, so I will leave my comments on the matter here.

I dont see anyone doing such a thing - there is questioning of whether, or not, it is necessary to carry a bottle of water everywhere. My view is that it isnt and that it is simply a fad. How did we manage before we could buy a plastic filter bottle for £17.50 to drink from?

I can't remember the last time I went out without a bottle of water. It would be a bit like going out without my wallet.

I very rarely carry a bottle of water. I live in England not some arid desert country. The health industry have very cleverly persuaded impressionable people that there is a requirement to have water to hand at every moment of the day and that we must consume a vast literage of it every day in order to stave off death. I just have a cup of tea when I arrive.

All that said i feel this is a very good idea if for no other reason that it cuts down on the numbers of plastic bottles in circulation and removes the requirement to pay a large sum for a bottle of water.

 

[Bromley boy]

The health industry have very cleverly persuaded impressionable people that there is a requirement to have water to hand at every moment of the day and that we must consume a vast literage of it every day in order to stave off death. I just have a cup of tea when I arrive.

Indeed. Apart from anything else, water is heavy, inconvenient to carry and tastes pretty bland sans tea bag.

For a gym session, or a desert safari abroad, fine. But in the UK, carrying a bottle as often as carrying a wallet?! Huh?!

 

[Starmill]

The health industry have very cleverly persuaded impressionable people that there is a requirement to have water to hand at every moment of the day and that we must consume a vast literage of it every day in order to stave off death. I just have a cup of tea when I arrive.

What's the heath industry? What are they doing that's such a problem? Are you suggesting I'm 'impressionable'? If so, why? What sort of vast cost do you mean? In short what has any of this got to do with anything?

That seems a little unusual.

For a gym session, or a desert safari abroad, fine. But in the UK, carrying a bottle as often as carrying a wallet?! Huh?!

I wish I knew why your opinion on that is so important? Some people on these boards just cannot help themselves from delving into other people's lives! It's quite amusing.

 

[Bromley boy]

I wish I knew why your opinion on that is so important? Some people on these boards just cannot help themselves from delving into other people's lives! It's quite amusing.

Delving into your life?! You commented on a public forum, I responded.

Important? It doesn’t matter one jot to me. Just sounds rather odd...

 

[LiftFan]

The tap water in Somerset tastes absolutely fine! I only bring a bottle of water with me because there isn't anywhere I can drink the water for free whereas I can get it refilled for free in a starbucks or costa. Drinking fountains are a great idea apart from the chavs who come and stick chewing gum over the water nozzle!

 

[DynamicSpirit]

This thread has me bemused as well. Suggestions that it's silly to carry water around, or that we are 'obsessed' with water. It's almost as if it's essential that we regularly consume water in order to live.

I don't think it's silly to carry water around if you think you might need it. On the other hand, I suspect it's not as essential as some people here seem to be implying. As far as I can recall having bottles of water everywhere is a fairly recent phenomenon. I'm fairly sure that when I was growing up and right through the 70s, 80s and 90s, it would have been quite unusual to do so - I certainly don't remember people having water with them while out and about to any significant extent - unless you were going to the gym or something. Personally I tend to take water with me if I'm going to be out for more than 3-4 hours, but generally not otherwise, and it's only within the last few years that I've started doing even that.

I think it's great that people are taking water and drinking it now because it probably is healthy to do so when you need it - and also because I suspect it means at least some people are drinking sugary drinks and alcolhol less. And I think the proposal for a water fountain at Charing Cross is a brilliant idea. But at the same time, I wouldn't necessarily view water all the time as essential - I'm sure we could live quite satisfactorily without taking water with us so much.

 

[Starmill]

I'm shocked that I even have to say this tbh, but the obvious reason to take water with you is because it's cheaper and doesn't waste plastic.

Delving into your life?! You commented on a public forum, I responded.

With lots of question marks and a tone of outrage. As I say I'd love to know why certain people think this is appropriate.

 

[xc170]

It's not the taste of the water out of a fountain that would put me off using it, water is water, it all tastes the same to me.

Hygiene is the deal breaker for me, how often will NR clean and sanitise these fountains? Given how busy London terminals are and how much potential use these fountains will get, a wipe over with a damp rag every couple of hours just won't cut it, train stations are dirty places and a lot of passengers have a questionable understanding of personal hygiene.

 

[Bantamzen]

I'd be very happy to see more use of water fountains in public areas included stations, the fewer plastic bottles made the better for the environment. However it did get me thinking, is there now going to be a market for "upmarket" water bottles? So I did a quick search on Amazon this morning to see what the most expensive one available is, and it comes in at an eyewatering £128 for a 500ml stainless steel bottle......

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dkasa-Vacu...1&keywords=stainless+steel+water+bottle+500ml

I'm in the wrong business.....

 

[DarloRich]

What's the heath industry? What are they doing that's such a problem? Are you suggesting I'm 'impressionable'? If so, why? What sort of vast cost do you mean? In short what has any of this got to do with anything?

I wish I knew why your opinion on that is so important? Some people on these boards just cannot help themselves from delving into other people's lives! It's quite amusing.

What I find quite amusing is the hyper sensitivity many posters here seem to feel about any challenging of their views or position. It seems you expect to simply make a statement and have everyone nod sagely marveling at your incisive intellect.

 

[cuccir]

water is water, it all tastes the same to me.

If you believe that, all I can say is you've been drinking crap water

I don't think it's silly to carry water around if you think you might need it. On the other hand, I suspect it's not as essential as some people here seem to be implying. As far as I can recall having bottles of water everywhere is a fairly recent phenomenon. I

I mean fundamentally it's personal preference and I suspect about different metabolisms and habits too. I usually get through a minimum of 2 pints (of water ) during a night's sleep, which I've come to realize is a bit weird but if I do anything else I wake up with a splitting headache; I know other people (my wife!) who don't bother having a glass to hand in the night.

Anyway, we have somewhat digressed - I think the key is that if it's cheap to install and some people would use it over purchasing bottles unnecessarily, then it has a place; I for one would find it very useful.

 

[DarloRich]

I think the key is that if it's cheap to install and some people would use it over purchasing bottles unnecessarily, then it has a place; I for one would find it very useful.

and that will hopefully prove to be correct and off benefit to people. Next, a hot water fountain would be a good idea. Remove lots of those paper ( but not really paper as they are coated with something hard to recycle) cups given out by coffee stalls.

 

[PeterC]

Christ on a bike. Disease? really?

Tap water is perfectly fine in the UK.

However clean the water was when it entered the system it won't be if the outlet is allowed to get dirty. That is the point.

 

[DarloRich]

However clean the water was when it entered the system it won't be if the outlet is allowed to get dirty. That is the point.

I am fairly certain that this wont be an issue. It is overblown. people today seemed worried about their own shadow.

Is the risk any higher than being on a train/tube/bus with someone ill? Is the risk any higher than being in the office with ill people? Is the risk any higher than picking up whatever bug your kids bring home form school?

As an aside to all the germ worriers - never go to the toilet at a lower league football match.