Not a bathroom: Conn. city shuts off fountain because people were using it as toilet, shower

[The Northerner]

NEW LONDON, Conn. — Officials in New London, Conn., turned off the water at the city’s new waterfront fountain over the weekend, because people have been using it as a toilet.

The fountain was activated last month and features a sculpture of a whale’s tail with water spilling over it, which visitors are encouraged to run through.

City Councilor Michael Buscetto III tells The Day of New London that since the fountain opened, police have responded to calls of people urinating, defecating and showering in the fountain water. He said some people who have cut themselves have also used the fountain to rinse off blood.

City Manager Denise Rose says police are developing a plan to better keep an eye on the area.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/not-a-bathroom-conn-city-shuts-off-fountain-because-people-were-using-it-as-toilet-shower/2011/06/07/AGcarALH_story.html

[Newest Reality]

1. Signs of breakdown and decay, everywhere! - NT

[hlthe2b]

2. Oh heavens...

I can honestly say the only issue in Denver is the water waste and then the usual arguments about letting dogs frolick in them. Geez how things change and not for the better. :shrug:

[ChrisBorg]

3. If there was ever a statue that didn't lend itself to public defecation this is it..look.

[Iggo]

4. Um...sorry, Mr Councilman. That's a fucking shower.

Who the hell okayed that?

[ChrisBorg]

5. So should we have nothing higher that a foot wash?

[Iggo]

6. You can have whatever you want.

But one look at that thing, along with the knowledge that people would actually be encouraged to pass under it, and I could've told the council that a half-dozen people a day would use it to rinse their hair.

[ChrisBorg]

7. Rinsing their hair is far from relieving their bowels.

[Iggo]

12. That's true.

But my point is people "taking showers" was also cited as part of the problem, even though it should have been easily predicted.

[surrealAmerican]

8. Are there are no public restrooms in the vicinity?

It's a little hard to imagine that people who had other options would choose to use this instead.

[Warren Stupidity]

10. This is america, the land without public bathrooms.

[marions ghost]

11. that's how I think of it too

in Australia the public facilities are everywhere. In America, you can be in bad shape before you find a restroom. In depending on private (employees only) facilities, I've had to insist on more than one occasion that I or a family member is going to have a bad accident in their establishment. It's humiliating. I understand why the fountain is used this way --obviously no foresight about locating some public restroom nearby (now that would be the enlightened thing to do, which is why nobody will think of it).

[xoom]

9. who in their right mind would do that there?