W.H. Auden once said, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” In this case, he actually really was talking about what we are about to address. Water is essential to human survival, just like this article. After conquering the bathrooms of Bloomington High School South, we went in-depth on each water fountain accessible to students to provide a guide for the student body.
*DISCLAIMER*
While we are WORLD-RENOWNED for reviewing bathrooms, our water fountain ethos is still lacking, so please, remember that we are simply two optimists with a passion for helping the student body.
Background:
For the fountains, we rated each set around the school on the following qualities:
- Water pressure
- Temperature of water
- Taste
For pressure, we focused on how much we had to lean to reach the water, aka the spout level of the water itself. While some water fountains produced a lovely stream of water at the optimal “lean level,” others trickled water poorly, making them nearly unusable. For temperature, we didn’t just look for the coldest fountain possible, we looked for the optimal temperature that was cold enough to provide a refreshing experience, but not chilling to the point of hurting one’s teeth. Taste pretty much explains itself. We wanted a purified, enjoyable experience that pleased our palate.
First Floor Water Fountains:
Pressure: 5
Taste: 2
Temperature: 8
Bottle filler available: yes
Note: Located within the most bustling area of the building, these fountains are the Grand Central Dispensation of the world. They experience incredibly high traffic, and we really don’t advise seeking them out if other options are accessible. Only in a pinch should you find yourself quenching your thirst at this station, as you could sooner renew your passport or driver’s license.
Second Floor A Water Fountains:
Pressure: 3
Taste: 4
Temperature: 9
Bottle filler available: yes
Note: The second-floor fountains as a whole are solid—no need to go out of your way to avoid them.
Second Floor C Water Fountains:
Pressure: 10
Taste: 6
Temperature: 9
Bottle filler available: yes
B-Wing Water Fountains:
Pressure:7
Taste: 9
Temperature: 6
Bottle filler available: No
Note: Not having a bottle filler in the B-wing is a MASSIVE L, however, it is made up for by a higher than average taste on the fountains. Some speculate that this water is filtered through the breasts of Poseidon.
Carmichael Hall Water Fountains:
Pressure: 8
Taste: 3
Temperature: 8
Bottle filler available: No
Note: The 3 rating on taste sadly diminishes a possible reason one might have to make the trek to this fountain during the day.
Band Hallway Water Fountains:
Pressure: 0
Taste: 4
Temperature: 8
Bottle filler available: yes
Note: This is not a recommended fountain visit, as for how far away it is, there is just simply nothing warranting the hike across the school. This is no different from venturing to Antarctica just to drink from the Pacific. The 0 pressure rating makes it unlikely you will ever be able to salvage any water anyway. Also, the bottle filter is always yellow making it even less appealing.
White Gym Water Fountains:
Pressure: 10
Taste: 2
Temperature: 8
Bottle filler available: yes
Purple Gym Water Fountains:
Pressure: 4
Taste: 4
Temperature: 7
Bottle filler available: yes
Third Floor A Water Fountains:
Pressure: 10
Taste: 4
Temperature: 4
Bottle filler available: yes
Third Floor Water C Fountains:
Pressure: 10
Taste: 6
Temperature: 9
Bottle filler available: yes
Athletics Hallway Water Fountains:
Taste: 6
Temperature: 9
Bottle filler available: yes
Note: There are no stand-alone fountains here; they both only provide bottle fillers which are, admittedly, very good.
Our picks: Third Floor C and B Wing.
The 3rd floor provides a cold water bottle filler in addition to its elite temperature and pressure. We found the B wing fountains to offer the best taste in the building so if you are looking for taste, it is worth the trip but keep in mind its lack of a bottle filler.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you can find this article beneficial, and that you are not sick of our dry humor. Once again we advise to take this with a grain of salt, and then wash it down with some water at the fountain of your choice. Drink responsibly.
