The South Dakota Department of Health announced that
the restaurant’s lobby decorative fountain
tested positive for the strain of bacterium that has afflicted 15 people with Legionnaires’ disease. (resulting in one death)
http://rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2005/10/30/news/top/news01.txt
Decorated with bacterium? Drinking fountains are for the brave-hearted (or foolish) in this day and age IMHO.
How did it get in the fountain?
If natural, then all those cute fountains in the homes will be a danger.
If not natural, then look for more of them to show up, all over the country.
No more, sitting near the pleasant sound of fake water.
LucyT,
How does this bacterium develop in the fountain? Is it from not keeping the water clean and moving? Does adding chemicals like in swimming pools help?
Thanks for the ping Lucy. I'm thinking Legionaire's bacterium grows in moist/wet unclean places. Having a water fountain in a restaurant or hotel etc. is just asking for trouble. The mist will travel and land on the food in restaurants and probably into the a/c system in hotels.
As far as drinking fountains are concerned I haven't drank from one of them since 1970.[that is a cocktail of germs rather than just water in there] Of course if they decide to poison bottled water I'm a goner.
Ping for SD news to RR