Do you use public drinking fountains?

[PamNY]

I've recently started birding with two friends who will not touch them. We are usually in city parks, and always on foot, so the weight of carrying water is an issue.

I used to be a little hesitant about drinking fountains in the park, but I saw so many people using them, I got over it.

Opinions?

[Eden]

...... what do they think is going to happen if they use them...... You encounter millions and millions of germs everyday, public fountains I would guess are probably not a serious source of infections (if you want to be grossed out look into what's usually on money....), not to mention that a few germs aren't necessarily super bad for you, as long as you aren't immune compromised.

If it's water quality, our public water around here is some of the best in the US AFAIK, so I'm not worried about that either.

[OakLeaf]

I mean, as long as you let the water flow for a second or two after you turn it on, it's coming straight out of the pipe anyway. If you're the first one to use it in a few days it can taste pretty nasty (and would probably have enough crud in it from the pipe that I wouldn't make a habit of it), but I don't think there's much danger of that there.

[ny biker]

Yes I use public fountains.

[OakLeaf]

It must be time for this again ... although I seem to be the only one who finds it so hilarious. To me it perfectly captures the uniquely American germ phobia, while acknowledging that basic precautions can prevent a lot of infectious disease.

[Eden]

lol - I think that's pretty funny too....

I'm actually quite a fan of microorganisms as producers of tasty foods - I like yogurt (bacteria), natto (bacteria), cheese (bacteria/fungus), sake (fungus), soy sauce (fungus), pickles (bacteria), miso (fungus), kimchi (bacteria), wine (fungus).... I think I could go on... and on.... yum, microorganisms are tasty