Fountain water quality is a growing concern

As the temperature hit 100, The Gateway's Olympic fountain looked like a beach. Hundreds of people in swimsuits lounged nearby on towels. Children ran through the water wearing everything from street clothes to just droopy diapers.

"It's a tradition. We come every summer. We visit the planetarium, and then we spend a few hours at the fountain to cool off," said Angela Eatough of West Jordan, who brought her four children.

When asked if she ever wondered if disease-causing bacteria could spread as the water is reused after dripping through the full diapers seen on some children and the dirty feet of dogs and humans, she said that thought never occurred to her.

It is, however, occurring to the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

While water in The Gateway fountain is voluntarily chlorinated and tested, health department officials say they will likely soon require all fountains that allow people to play in them to chlorinate, regularly test water quality, undergo inspections and obtain before-construction reviews of designs to help ensure the fountains will be sanitary.

Terry Bybee, the Utah County Health Department's environmental health director, said his agency has no plans for a ordinance that would make public fountain water be treated because it hasn't been an issue. "If we had complaints of E. coli, fecal matter, dogs swimming in the water or something like that, we would respond to those complaints," he said.

In Salt Lake County, Brian Bennion, director of the health department's Bureau of Water Quality and Hazardous Waste, says the three fountains attracting the biggest hot-day crowds in the county — at Gateway, Liberty Park and Red Butte Garden — now voluntarily test and chlorinate. He wants to ensure that future fountains take such steps, too, as they are becoming more popular.

"People are using them like free, mini water theme parks," Salt Lake City Parks Division director Val Pope says about the "Seven Canyons" fountains at Liberty Park. "We actually see school bus loads of kids come just to play in them. They have become a destination attraction. It's huge."

Tracy James, property manager at The Gateway, says of its Olympic fountain, "It is an attraction not only in summer but also during the winter. There have been people playing in it when it has been 7 degrees below zero. . . . There have been a lot of engagements in it. There has even been a wedding performed on the outer edge of it. It has a draw to it."