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An ornamental lit fountain photographed at night for about 6 seconds.
A fountain is an arrangement where water is forced into the air under pressure, creating a jet. The pressure may be gravitational, or may be produced by a motor-driven pump.
A famous fountain rises from the surface of Lake Geneva. However, many fountains are located in small, artificial ornamental ponds, basins and formal garden pools, and often they are surrounded by statuary.
Other Meanings
In Islam a fountain is the name of the place in the Mosque where worshippers can wash before Prayer.
A water fountain is designed to provide drinking water and has a basin arrangement with either continuously running water or a tap.
A jogger cools off in the splash fountain that forms the main centerpiece of a flat open space known as Dundas Square at the heart of downtown Toronto. This fountain was designed and built for waterplay, and undergoes strict water quality testing standards. The water is heated using solar energy picked up by special dark colored nonslip granite slabs.
A splash fountain or bathing fountain is a fountain intended for people to cool off in. Although many fountains were not designed as bathing fountains, children of all ages often use them for that purpose. Some fountains are fenced in, or have raised edges as a barricade to keep people out. In other situations, fountains are designed to allow easy access, and feature nonslip surfaces, so that people can safely use them to cool off in on hot summer days.
More recently, splash fountains have begun to appear. These have zero standing water, to eliminate possible drowning hazards, so that no lifeguards or supervision is required. These splash pads are often located in public pools, public parks, or public playgrounds (known as spraygrounds).
A recent example of a public splash fountain, intended for waterplay, is the one located in Toronto's Dundas Square. It consists of 600 ground nozzles arranged in groups of 30 (3 rows of 10 nozzles). Each group of 30 nozzles is located beneath a stainless steel grille. Twenty such grilles are arranged in two rows of 10, right in the middle of the main walkway through Dundas Square. Both the architects and the designers have confirmed that these were intended for waterplay, and the facility operators have confirmed that the water is treated to pool water quality standards, and that the water quality is tested, by the health department, at least once a day. The entire surface of Dundas Square is made of special nonslip square granite slabs that match the size of the metal grilles. The special texture on the slabs ensures that they are not slippery when wet. Changerooms are located in level P1 of the public parking.
There is a mythological Fountain of Youth from which one can drink to gain immortality, or to regain their youth that plays a role in many fairy tales, stories, and oddysseys. On a less mythical note, splashing around in a fountain is a great way to feel youthful, thus the waterplay fountain is often said to be a fountain of youth.
The need for good water quality, regardless of intended use
Whether fountains are designed and built as bathing fountains, people will often bathe in, or drink from, any fountain, whether it be for architectural design, noise masking, or whatever other use. People also often wash their hands in fountains. Therefore, minimum water quality standards are necessary, regardless of intended use:
Building a free-standing waterfeature without a filter and chemical feeder
Why it happens: In theory, a free-standing waterfeature shouldnt have a bather
load, so many builders dont install filters or sanitation.
The problem: In reality, people will interact with ornamental water fountains in
the most surprising ways.
Ive seen people at Disneyland change their babies diapers and then wash their hands
in the water fountain, adding unexpected bacteria and organics into the water,
says Alison Osinski, Ph.D., president of Aquatic Consulting Services in San Diego. (http://www.poolspanews.com/2004/081/081hydraulics.html)
(POOL & SPA NEWS ONLINE)
Legal liability of fountain owners and operators: Fence-it-in or treat the water
At the Minnesota Zoo, an outbreak occurred at an ornamental fountain because
it did not have proper filtration and water treatment. Children
played in fountains and swallowed water, and spurted the water
out of their mouths to mimic the way nozzles in the fountain
spurted the water.
It was therefore necessary to put a fence around the fountain to
keep people away.
Fountain operators and owners are legally liable for
failure to either fence-in fountains, or to properly filter, chlorinate
or otherwise treat the water, if the fountains are not fenced in.
If the water is unsafe, fences must be designed to keep people far enough
away, so that they cannot touch the water, otherwise
children get water on their hands, and put their fingers into their mouths,
and end up getting sick, thus subjecting owners and operators to legal
liability.
Fountains for celebration
University of Albany has a Fountain Day every year which is a day in which the univeristy ends classes early so that students, staff, and professors can all play in the fountains. (http://www.albany.edu/studentlife/mission/fd.html) This brings huge crowds celebrating together in the fountains, and creates something close in spirit to an urban beach.
Fountain day is a school sponsored event,
initiated by the Human Awareness Program (HAP), in 1979, so students and
faculty could break down the barriers that separate them.
Famous Fountains
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