Fill ‘Er Up!

Of course, 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have made traditional drinking fountains even more obsolete and shined a light on what parents everywhere 

already know: Drinking fountains tend to be unsanitary. It's not that illness is spread by the water itself. According to
the New York Times, the spout is constantly being rinsed — the "eww factor" comes from germs spread by hands that have been on the handles or mucous in the fountain bowl from where some people spit before drinking.

When folks don't have easy access to water because drinking fountains have been turned off or are not useable, they often turn to single-use plastic bottles or less healthy alternatives such as sugar-filled sodas or juices. So, water bottle filling stations not only help sustain a healthier environment but also healthier humans.

If all of that wasn't enough to make your family a believer in bottle filling stations, the bottom line just might. According to BecauseWater.com, bottled water in plastic, single-use bottles is "2,000 times more expensive than tap" and "three times the amount of water used to fill the bottle is needed to produce its plastic."

Don't forget to grab your favorite reusable bottle when you leave your house, and please email photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of your family enjoying Canton's water bottle filling stations around town this fall and winter. The first one you'll find will be at Etowah River Park. Who knows? By demonstrating to others an easy way to make a big difference in our community, maybe you'll end up in a future City newsletter.