City testing new drinking water stations in parks

By Justin Sibbet - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 8, 2023.

The summer weather has arrived with temperatures climbing ever higher which has prompted the City to construct new drinking water stations.
Four city parks, Nicholas Sheran, Legacy Regional, Henderson and Galt Gardens, will all have fully operational drinking fountains by early next week.
The drinking fountains in Legacy and Nicholas Sheran are already functioning, while Henderson and Galt Gardens will see installation on Monday.
City councillor Nick Paladino says the new fountains will be free to use by any member of the community.
“We know that access to drinking water is important to our citizens and anticipate this will be well used by those using the parks, whether they be joggers, walkers, cyclists or dog walkers,” said Paladino during a media conference at Legacy Park on Friday.
He says the pilot project will cost a total of $15,000 and it was allocated from the Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve.
Paladino indicated the project will be reviewed at the end of the summer and the findings will determine whether the fountains are brought back next year or even expanded upon.
“You look at Henderson Lake Park, it’s a big park, it could use a couple (drinking fountains) at least,” said Paladino. “(Legacy Park) is not a small park either, it could use another one, too.”
Success of the project will be determined through a variety of methods such as a water metre to track usage inside of every station or public feedback questionnaires.
The city councillor says the at-risk population in Lethbridge could become the biggest beneficiaries of this pilot project.
“Given the weather forecast, it’s perhaps most important to the vulnerable members of our community and we are pleased to offer this much needed service,” said Paladino.
However, he says the term ‘vulnerable’ could mean several different things to people who are in different scenarios.
“Vulnerable could be a mother with kids in a stroller on a hot day and need water,” said Paladino. “Heat stroke is a bad thing and we’re trying to prevent that.”
The drinking fountains are hooked up directly to fire hydrants located in the parks, enabling 24/7 access to potable water.
Jeremy Charlesworth, water and wastewater project manager for the city of Lethbridge, says they are safe and easy to use.
“We’ve tried to make them as vandal-proof as we could … they’re pretty much as safe as we could make them,” said Charlesworth during the media conference on Friday.
Furthermore, he says the water is coming from the same safe, potable waterlines underground that are attached to homes and businesses around the city.
“It’s just like you open the tap at your house,” said Charlesworth.
He says the spring-loaded handles also ensure the water is turned off as soon as someone is done filling their bottle.
Charlesworth says the process of removing these stations and then reinstalling for future use is a straightforward procedure.
“At the end of the year, we’ll unbolt them, remove them and store them,” said Charlesworth. “Then in the summer, we’ll bring them back out.”
The fountain at Legacy Regional Park is located just north of the main pavilion, in the parking lot.
Meanwhile, the drinking station at Galt Gardens is located near the Southern Alberta Art Gallery and Henderson sees a location near Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens.
Finally, Nicholas Sheran Park’s new water fountain is near the school.

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