Drinking warer fountain that sends water straight up - is it OK in school

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

This picture is on its side - sorry! Rotate your phone 90 degrees please!


I was surprised to see this in my children's school, but what do I know?
The water is sent bubbling upwards, I thought it had to shoot out an an angle?
Is it OK for schools to still have such a fountain in use?
I know it is best not to actually drink from it - I will tell my chldren that.
Also there is not enough water pressure to send the water shooting up so little mouths would have to touch that top metal thing.

 

[turnpin]

Wow not seen one of these for years have to agree with you dosen't seems very hygenic.....regards Turnpinunk:

 

[lame plumber]

if it was angled it would go all over the floor. it is supposed to clear the metal work so you dont have to wrap your lips round the outlet though, still better than sucking on a tap where kids may have washed their sticky mitts after using the loo though

 

[stevetheplumber]

If thats the worst thing your children drink out of i wouldnt worry

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

Lame - obviously I didn't mean that particular water fountain should be at an angle!
I told Head about my concerns, these are banned in other countries and no-longer available in this country.
All new water fountains shoot water at an angle (with a design to catch the drips). Yes there are other issues, like water pressure and stopping kids putting their mouths around the spout.

Head contacted the HSE - they said there was no need to replace it - only that water fountains must not be in toilet areas or outside.
Nevertheless, Head agrees it is not hygienic and said they will replace it.

 

[Radioman]

Get your kids one of these. http://www.watertogo.eu/ I use one everyday, it lives in the van, no matter what the state of the water you put in it comes out clean and bug free. Even ditch water. Only thing it won't clean is sea water

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

Useful product.
Seems a bit much for school. I just send them with bottles of tap water that get washed out (almost) every day.
Nevertheless - useful to know about what you use.

 

[lame plumber]

I would think that kids getting their mouths around each other is more unhygeinic than a water fountain, still TP's a mum and bound to worry more than a dad who doesnt

I would worry more about carcinogens leaching out of plastic bottles, look up that one on google to scare yourself witless.

 

[Rickster123]

You are a grumpy bugger lame!

 

[lame plumber]

You are a grumpy bugger lame!

not grumpy, cynical about the modern world, if we all got a bit more natural immunity then antibiotics wouldnt be failing to work now as we wouldnt use them all the time. Still now ebolas coming only the fittest will survive, so I for one am stuffed

 

[Radioman]

Useful product.
Seems a bit much for school. I just send them with bottles of tap water that get washed out (almost) every day.
Nevertheless - useful to know about what you use.

Not good to do that with bottles. The plastic breaks down and you should sterilise the container like a baby's bottle. That's why the WTG filter is so great.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

Well done Mrs Tara, you have done your family and wider community a good turn. See how important this is: 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . One of the key reasons why we have the water regulations is to help prevent the contamination of water. The ascending spray function constitutes a category 5 contamination risk which can be compared to the older type bidets (which are not suitable for wholesome water connections).

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

Not good to do that with bottles. The plastic breaks down and you should sterilise the container like a baby's bottle. That's why the WTG filter is so great.

Actually I do sterilise our drinking bottles every few weeks with miltons sterilising stuff.
I saw a TV programme on how unhygenic many people bottles are, many are never washed.

 

[PhoenixServices]

I just change bottles once a week, plastic can't break down that quick.

 

[Sparkgap]

Well done Mrs Tara, you have done your family and wider community a good turn. See how important this is: 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . One of the key reasons why we have the water regulations is to help prevent the contamination of water. The ascending spray function constitutes a category 5 contamination risk which can be compared to the older type bidets (which are not suitable for wholesome water connections).

???? Cat 5????? NEVER! Note the outlet is above the 'overflow'. Same as an ordinary tap.

The only argument against this type of fountain is the possibility of some good healthy germs being passed around from people touching the hoop (and going by what Lame Plumber says we can apply Darwin's laws about survival of the fittest ). Kids are more likely to get bugs from the dodgy school meals than the fountain

 

[chris watkins]

Spot on Sparkgap, outlet is way above overspill level.
You worry to much Mrs T, typical mum. :smile5: