Here in Seattle, quite a few water fountains in public parks have a 2nd fountain at ground level for pets. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that all dog owners

Here in Seattle, quite a few water fountains in public parks have a 2nd fountain at ground level for pets. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that all dog owners will be courteous enough to use them, but at least it's a start. In reality, though, all kind of other gross things are going to get on outdoor fountains even if we keep the dogs away, not the least of which comes from the other people who used them before you. My understanding (and this is just what I've heard, not something I've investigated) is that if you let a well-maintained fountain run long enough, say 10 seconds, before drinking from it, it's almost certainly fine. Of course, this assumes there isn't any visible contamination on there that the water's flowing through. In short, I don't hesitate to use them if they look OK.