February 10th, 2009
Photos and fountains in New York City

water fountain 2nd Ave at 93rd Ever notice how hard it is to find a pay phone these days? How about a public drinking fountain? Maybe you’ve noticed it‚ not so difficult to find single serve plastic bottles of water‚ provided you shell out a dollar or two. Maybe you’ve noticed, too, that these same bottles litter our parks, while our crumbling drinking water fountains run dry. Citizens around the country have noticed this trend, and are looking for ways to reinvest in public water infrastructure rather than pad corporate pocketbooks. Many consumers are dropping bottled water and taking back the tap. Others are coming up with creative ways to raise awareness about the importance of safe, affordable public drinking water. John Famulary, for one, believes that everyone should be concerned about access to water. As Executive Director of the Urban Fitness Network, he spends a lot of time with high school students in New York City, and he can tell you that not every student he meets has spent a lot of time thinking about where his or her water comes from. Yet water is as essential to urban life as it is to all life on this planet.

water fountain Carmine Recreation Center

That‚ why the Urban Fitness Network started the Images of Fountains project‚ to promote the importance of public drinking water through collecting images of all 2,366 outdoor water fountains in New York City.

These photos show public water through a new lens. They illustrate fountains not just as pit stops for thirsty hikers, bikers, and joggers, but also as works of art, symbols of safe, affordable drinking water for all citizens. After all, public water fountains offer a cool sip of water to anyone who passes by‚ free of charge.

water fountain Brighton BeachThe online photojournal is a work in progress‚ a place where New Yorkers and visitors can upload pictures of drinking fountains they encounter in their travels. Although the project started with the goal of documenting all the fountains in New York City, participants can also post images of water fountains from around the world!

To find out more about the Urban Fitness Network and the Images of Fountains project, contact John Famulary at john.famulary@urbanfitnessnetwork.org. In addition, organizations and individuals with expertise on outdoor recreation or drinking water topics are welcome to join online discussions with youth in New York City on the Urban Fitness Network Forum.

For more information about other ways to support safe, affordable public water, check out our Food & Water Watch water program.

-Sarah Gingold

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  • It’s surprising New York doesn’t have more water fountains. I recently found out about TapIt, an organization that lists businesses that will fill your water bottle up. Hopefully this will help reduce the litter around our parks!

    Comment by Leah Morgan — October 7, 2009 @ 11:18 am



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