Should You Allow Your Child to Bathe in a Fountain: Possible Consequences
Can children swim in a fountain? This is a question that some parents ask themselves from time to time.
The answer is obvious - allowing a child to swim in a fountain is the same as letting him splash in a puddle. And in the latter, by the way, the water is much cleaner than that in the fountain.
The whole point is that the water that fills the fountains is changed very rarely, and it is not thoroughly cleaned.
Rats and dogs can swim here, and there is no protection from bird droppings.
Another argument against is that such water often contains chemical reagents that city utilities add specifically to prevent it from blooming.
What's the bottom line? Wanting to cool down in the summer heat, a child can pick up a variety of dangerous infections, including E. coli, rotavirus, salmonella, and even hepatitis.
It is also important to remember that the concrete or tile bottom of the fountain is very slippery, which means there is a high risk of injury.
There is enough water in the fountain to drown a small child left unattended, and in those equipped with lighting, you can get an electric shock.
So-called dry fountains, in which water shoots upwards, are also unsafe. The water in them is of the same dubious purity, and the risk of injury is high.
