DHS Water Fountains: Help!
NEIRAD enilno edition
Along frequent intervals in the school one can find a metallic oasis for quenching thirst. But a few of these drinking fountains seem to deter thirst instead of quenching it, as they are green, filled with spit-out gum, or just have a reputation of tasting horrible.
Many can even be found with all three of these traits. In fact, in reviewing the drinking fountains at Darien High School, I came to the conclusion that at least half of these need much better maintenance.
Most of us don't have a choice of whether we want to drink from the water fountain or not, as cafeteria prices are not to be laughed at and it is a drag to have to carry water all day long. It is just very convenient to catch a drink between classes or as a substitute to buying water with your pizza.
That is of course, if you happen to catch a fountain that is not cursed with a horribly metallic taste. This is probably actually a good thing, as it means there are chemicals cleaning our water system, but this doesn’t make for tasty (or taste-less) water. Some fountains, like the one next to the weight room, have an after-flavor that stays with you until you find eat or drink something else. Luckily, close by, the fountain next to the cafeteria coming down from the science rooms has great water.
Another common theme is that there is a stream of green coming from the spout and draining downwards. It does not seem to affect the taste that much as the worst fountains don’t even have this green stream but it just looks unclean. Maybe the chlorine added to our water supply has reacted with the metal of the fountains over the years to produce this unsightly coloring. Whatever the cause, the green fountains tend to be the most popular.
For some unknown reason, Darien High School students spit their gum into their own drinking fountains. This habit is disgusting, as people have to put their faces close to drink water. I saw up to three pieces of chewed up gum in one fountain, and of course it was one of the most visited ones: the one next to the sub shop. This bad habit is inexcusable as there are plenty of trash cans everywhere. All in all, the water is bad enough that spitting out one’s gum is just insulting the next person. However, there is usually less gum in the bottom fountain vs. the more comfortably placed top fountain.
Regardless of the lines, people will still try to get to the top fountain over having to stoop down to the lower one. I used to think it was just a dislike of bending down so far, but after getting sprayed in the face by the guy on the higher fountain I too stuck to the top fountain. Getting sprayed while another student drinks seems extremely unsanitary. Without meaning to hype this year’s flu season, I was glad to have had all my shots after that. Perhaps short fountains might be for the school’s itty-bitty freshmen. But this is unlikely, as American kids tend to be taller than whomever the lower fountains were designed. Those who cannot stand up to get water surely benefit from these lower fountains the most, so most likely this is the school aiding the incapacitated.
In conclusion, in reviewing the drinking fountains at DHS, better maintenance would greatly benefit thirsty students, tall or short.
