In August, the city council tasked Austin Water staffers with conducting a study to determine the viability of ten areas of downtown Austin which currently lack an ADA-compliant public drinking fountain. Two of those fountains have been considered around the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, although the city is trying to clarify that its overall intent is not simply to provide water for the homeless, but rather for anyone who needs a quick drink. Now, a city memo has detailed some of the cost associated with the installation and maintenance of those fountains, and they do not come cheap.
According to that new memo, installing all ten fountains could cost as much as $750,000, or, up to $75,000 per fountain. Along with the fountain itself, that money would also fund a bottle-filling station and a separate area to provide water to pets.
“Really, we were trying to get an area that I think is heavily trafficked, but we don’t have that kind of accomodation,” said council member Kathie Tovo last month.
On top of the initial cost of the fountains, the memo also estimates the cost for annual maintenance and operations to be around $63,000. That would include the hiring of a full-time city employee who would oversee that needed maintenance.
The city’s consideration of these new fountains comes as it also is expanding its public restroom program. Following a six-month pilot program near 6th Street and I-35, the city concluded back in June that there was a noticeable decline in human waste left on Austin streets. That prompted the city to approve three new stainless steel public toilets, two of which are expected to be installed by next month at 4th and Trinity and at 5th and Brazos to the tune of $450,000. By January, a third new public toilet is expected to be permanently installed on I-35 between 6th and 7th Streets.
