Skip to main contentWith August temperatures heating up and the Portland Water Bureau recently installing flow-restriction devices on the city's 127 drinking fountains, WW's news interns embarked on the following assignment.
In a very unscientific survey, we went to four fountains at a scorching noon hour last week. The mission: spend 60 minutes learning how many of you actually lap up the 156,000 gallons of free water flowing daily at the city's historic "Benson bubblers'' and other fountains, what you think of the water quality and whether you notice the 47 percent drop in your slurp.
The refreshing results:
| Location | Drinks per hour | Observations/Quotes |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest 3rd Avenue and Yamhill Street | 5 | "It looked better with the bigger flow. But probably a good idea to conserve water." |
| Southwest 3rd Avenue and Morrison Street | 17 | "I drink from them all the time. I notice no real difference." |
| Southwest 4th Avenue and Madison Street | 29 | "I think it's a blessing to have. I've been in other cities where you either have to pay two bucks for a bottle or go thirsty the rest of the day. It's especially good for the homeless." |
| Pioneer Courthouse Square (Yamhill MAX stop) | 89 (plus 2 bathers) | "That stuff tastes like crap." |
WWeek 2015