Genuinely curious about this:

Is it still necessary for these to be placed "Out of order" and unusable?

Ditto the question on self-service fountain drinks at restaurants?


Are these still considered "high risk" activities? Is the risk any greater than grabbing the handle of a door and opening?

Almost all restaurants I have been to have their self service fountains for sodas, teas etc open. Most I have been to actually here in TX. As for drinking fountains, the ones that pour from the top into a cup are open at the schools I work at. The only part closed is the type one uses their mouth to drink out of (the traditional type). I personally can't see how they would be a threat, but maybe they are.

I laugh at this. Public parks here have drinking fountains out of order. Airports have them all open. What is the difference....

I use drinking fountains pretty freely. Church, park, stores, airport etc. love when you find one with ice cold water. It's a great surprise.

I did not know that, but it makes sense.

The only problem with that is that children often put their entire mouth on it. I spent a year substitute teaching in my twenties and haven't used a drinking fountain since. I'm not a germaphobe by nature, but that completely disgusted me.

Shai-Hulud said:

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Drinking fountains were specifically designed to try and prevent disease spread. That is why it goes in an arc.

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Until you get behind that one kid who wants to suck the water out of the spout!! I never understood this when I saw it as a kid!

The birds that I've seen using the drinking fountains at our neighborhood park do not use them in a sanitary manner.