# Outdoor drinking fountain and circulation path



## Yikes (Jun 20, 2019)

I'm seeing a lot of drinking fountains like this in parks, with no protection around them:






CBC 11B-602.9 requires either wing walls or barriers for protection, or requires the fountain to be "otherwise positioned so as not to encroach on pedestrian ways".  Similarly CBC/ADAS 307.3 requires some type of protection at max 27" AFF for objects protruding into a circulation path.

*Question:  *On a very wide walkway (say 12' wide), or at the edge of a large plaza, at what point is the space so big that the DF is no longer considered "in the circulation path" and thus does not need protective barriers?


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## ADAguy (Jun 20, 2019)

Consider that not only sight impaired but also people chasing Frizbies, skateboarders & others can encounter that projection.


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## mtlogcabin (Jun 20, 2019)

you forgot to mention cell phone users

https://thegrio.com/2017/06/10/nj-woman-distracted-by-cellphone-falls-through-sidewalk-hatch/


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## JPohling (Jun 20, 2019)

ADAguy said:


> Consider that not only sight impaired but also people chasing Frizbies, skateboarders & others can encounter that projection.


They would encounter the "projection" in any case, wall, railing, etc..........

good question though.......maybe just common sense,  no that cannot be codified


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## mark handler (Jun 21, 2019)

IMHO
They *may not *be in the POT, and therefore,  *may not* be required


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## KylieArnold (Jul 21, 2020)

I have also seen many such street fountains and I wouldn't risk drinking from them.


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## AngelaDavies (Jul 21, 2020)

Yeah, I think that this is dangerous for health, and it is still unknown what is the quality of this water. But I see that many people use this fountain and I don't understand how they are not afraid to get infected with something. Honestly, of all the street fountains, only the one in Portugal inspired confidence. They have clean running water and all safety measures are observed. And we have our own fountain in the backyard, which is powered by a solar water pump. Here https://woahtech.com/best-solar-powered-water-pumps/ you can read more details about this. Birds love to drink water from our fountain and it looks amazing.


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## classicT (Jul 21, 2020)

They are setback off the sidewalk, which is the pedestrian way. It therefore does not encroach.

Move on, and don't make a mountain out of an ant hill.


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## steveray (Jul 21, 2020)

That one in particular looks OK, if you can't bump it off the side then it will be an AHJ call....


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## ADAguy (Jul 21, 2020)

mark handler said:


> IMHO
> They *may not *be in the POT, and therefore,  *may not* be required



May you say? Right up there with must, should, shall and will? and, "it depends"


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## Bryant (Jul 21, 2020)

Ty J. said:


> They are setback off the sidewalk, which is the pedestrian way. It therefore does not encroach.
> 
> Move on, and don't make a mountain out of an ant hill.



Agree!  Not clearly identified in any pedestrian way. Thou I suppose if the point of entrance to a building had a private entrance from public way to building and this was along the path, then I suppose you could make an argument for compliance if it was truly along the accessible pathway from point A to B.
Interesting all the same...


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## steveray (Jul 21, 2020)

Just to be clear here, this is also covered under 2015 IBC 1003.3.3 also, so it is not just accessibility.....


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## Paul Sweet (Jul 22, 2020)

Odds are that the bottom of the projection is at 27" if the spout is at ADA height, unless it's one of the very few (if any) that haven't updated their designs since ADA was passed.

All ADA and ANSI A117.1 require is something that can be detected by a blind person using a cane.  People who can see but don't watch where they're going are still allowed to bump into things.


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## michael2020 (Jul 27, 2020)

missing the drinking fountain for standing person use.


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## John Callaghan (Jul 28, 2020)

Yeah, of course, this needs protective barriers. It is dangerous for health, people get infected and it is still unknown what is the quality of this water.


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## mark handler (Jul 28, 2020)

Yikes said:


> I'm seeing a lot of drinking fountains like this in parks, with no protection around them:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


From what I see, that fountain is not in the circulation path, and would not require protection


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## ADAguy (Jul 28, 2020)

What constitutes in your opinion, adjacent to the path?


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