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03-12-2009, 02:48 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
56 posts, read 30,671 times
Reputation: 23
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Benson bubbler
Does anyone know how many gallons of water are wasted each year with this Portland "icon"? Do you drink from them? I once saw a guy washing his dirty socks, and feet in one of them. I've seen pigeons bathing in them. I saw a guy getting a drink from one, with his whole mouth over the spigot. Do you really think they're that neat? Seems like the city loves them. In the winter I've seen ice all over the sidewalk because the city didn't shut them off. I think they're a waste of water.
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03-12-2009, 03:27 PM
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Crankier than average
Status:
"New snow!"
(set 5 days ago)
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Fort Klamath, OR
1,801 posts, read 1,691,212 times
Reputation: 893
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From the Water Bureau:
Quote:
The Portland Water Bureau is committed to using water wisely, and has made significant changes in the design and operation of the Bubblers over the years to improve their water efficiency. For example, in 1995, the bureau narrowed the feed lines to the Bubblers. This cut water use almost in half.
In 2000, the bureau installed timers which shut the fountains off during low-usage periods, generally in the late night and early morning hours.
In 2005, the Water Bureau installed small, flow-restricting devices in the Bubblers to reduce the amount of water that each fountain uses. The devices do not affect the physical appearance of the fountains, but they do reduce the amount of water the fountains use by 40 percent.
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Also from the Water Bureau - all the fountains and water features around town use continuously recycled, chlorinated water. |
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03-12-2009, 03:56 PM
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Senior Member
Status:
"The future is never certain... Except when it is. Huh?"
(set 6 days ago)
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cascadia
1,385 posts, read 816,671 times
Reputation: 504
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Blasphemy! Why wouldn't the city love them? They're a Portland icon! They add a little character. And it's not like there are drought conditions in Portland either...
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03-12-2009, 04:07 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
56 posts, read 30,671 times
Reputation: 23
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I'll never drink from one. Recycled drinking water? Baths for homeless people and pigeons. I've showed the bubblers to my out of town friends, and they can't believe the city thinks of them as icons. NY has the Empire State building, St. Louis the Gateway Arch, San Francisco has the Golden Gate bridge, and we have bubblers. Portland needs a real icon that identifys the city.
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03-12-2009, 04:09 PM
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Crankier than average
Status:
"New snow!"
(set 5 days ago)
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Fort Klamath, OR
1,801 posts, read 1,691,212 times
Reputation: 893
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Cranky residents seem to be our main centerpiece.
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03-12-2009, 04:16 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Portland, OR
104 posts, read 70,673 times
Reputation: 76
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I thought that the Portlandia statue was Portland's icon? Or perhaps the bridges?
I've drank out of the bubblers a few times on hot days and I'm not grossed out by them. I'm sure if people were dropping left and right from whatever it is you are afraid of catching they would be shut down. How are they different from any other public drinking fountain in terms of being sanitary?
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03-12-2009, 05:07 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
56 posts, read 30,671 times
Reputation: 23
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Drink up. I would rather drink out of the river. I don't care how much chlorine you add to saliva, pigeon droppings, and foot fungus. Who knows what they're used for at night time. Toilets perhaps?
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03-12-2009, 05:09 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Portland, OR
104 posts, read 70,673 times
Reputation: 76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by griz134
Drink up.
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Thanks, I shall! |
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03-12-2009, 05:21 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
56 posts, read 30,671 times
Reputation: 23
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Oh, yea I've seen people let their dogs lap up water from these dirty things. Poor dogs.
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03-12-2009, 05:37 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Portland OR
1,119 posts, read 606,046 times
Reputation: 711
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I once saw a woman washing her cat's rear in one of the downtown drinking fountains.  |
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