Free drinking water tap points

[+Axel-F]

Dear fellow waymarkers,

As a runner, and geocacher I am frequently on the move. On some occasoins I run out of water. the last years I have seen FREE drinking water tap points pop-up al over.  A very useful potentialy new cat imho.  If you consider this a interesting idea I would be very please I you become member of the managing group. "Potable water seekers" (http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.aspx?f=1&guid=77229f9d-4f34-4da9-8612-fec826120561) . I can use also someone who has the English/American language as mother tongue so we can set up the cat in descent English.

All suggestions are, as always, very welcome.

Thanks in advance for all the input!

[+Max and 99]

35 minutes ago, Axel-F said:

Dear fellow waymarkers,

As a runner, and geocacher I am frequently on the move. On some occasoins I run out of water. the last years I have seen FREE drinking water tap points pop-up al over.  A very useful potentialy new cat imho.  If you consider this a interesting idea I would be very please I you become member of the managing group. "Potable water seekers" (http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.aspx?f=1&guid=77229f9d-4f34-4da9-8612-fec826120561) . I can use also someone who has the English/American language as mother tongue so we can set up the cat in descent English.

All suggestions are, as always, very welcome.

Thanks in advance for all the input!

Hi Axel-F.

I believe this category idea was discussed before. I'll try to track it down later today.

[+Max and 99]

 

[+Axel-F]

I knew it was discussed before, but I could not find the one you found, so thanks for that.

As time goes by, and things around us change, I considered it a good idea to give it another shot. The cat is also more refined.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Axel-F
spelling

[+iconions]

20 hours ago, Axel-F said:

I knew it was discussed before, but I could not find the one you found, so thanks for that.

As time goes by, and things around us change, I considered it a good idea to give it another shot. The cat is also more refined.

Almost every public building here in the US would have one or more drinking fountain or bubbler.  Most private buildings would, also.  Unless something tremendously special is done with the write-up on this category, the category itself has the potential to be EXTREMELY mundane.

 

Here is what you are going to be asked for Peer Review...

 

Global - The directory has the potential for worldwide appeal, but only if the categories are not too restricted by region. Consider whether people from all over the world will be able to contribute to this category. We can afford to be somewhat flexible with the application of this guideline for truly outstanding categories. 

 

Prevalence - How many potential waymarks exist throughout the world? Too few and the category may be of little or no interest to anyone. Too many and you may end up with a category full of mundane, everyday locations. 

 

Interesting or Informative - In general, good categories can be classified in one of two ways. Interesting: Can you imagine yourself sifting through the gallery for compelling and entertaining images, or making a special trip to visit a waymark in this category? Informative: On the flipside, you may not exclaim "Wow!", but perhaps you or someone else might find the waymarks in this category useful in some way. These waymarks can aid in accomplishing an everyday task more efficiently, or serve to gather enlightening information about a commercial location which may or may not be available from traditional sources.  

 

Redundant - Could this category be included as a variable in an existing category? For instance, let's say this new category is called "Blue Lighthouses". But, wait! There may already be a "Lighthouses category". Would it make more sense to add a variable for different colors in the "Lighthouses" details?

 

Although having the location of a drinking fountain can helpful per the third criteria, most people know that in big cities, almost all buildings that have restroom facilities available to the public will have a drinking fountain.  I'm curious to see the write-up on this one...

[+Axel-F]

thanks for the clear feedback. For now I only have included:

Waymarks will NOT accepted if:
- on private property
- not operational
- indoors

 

Will that narrow down the mundane part ? Here in NL they are not that wide spread.

[+fi67]

I do not see anything having changed since the last try.

I know a few great ones like the Basilisk Fountains here in Basel or the Wallace Fountains in Paris.

But this is just a handful, a neglectable minority compared to the masses of cheap and boring ones. No doubt, these are helpful too, but not worth Waymarking at all.

[+bluesnote]

Here on my college campus, there are several water fountains in each building. There are sometimes 10 or more per level and some of these buildings have 5 or more stories. Here's my take on the idea. Most water fountains are bland, uninteresting, and boring. Therefore, it's not needed to waymark them. However, I could only see two potential ideas that would make me want to waymark them:

 

1. If the fountain is artistic, then I would love to see them if its creative enough. However, there's an issue. If it's artistic, then I can virtually guarantee it can be waymarked elsewhere. Mosaics, murals, abstract sculptures, ect. take care of this need to create a new category.

 

2. I could possible see a need if we want to waymark fountains that display how many water bottles it has saved. I think it would be interesting to track the progress with each visitor. Not sure if I would vote yea, but there is a possibility if the write up is good.

[+Axel-F]

Thanks for the valuable comments so far.0

For now are only interested in Free drinking water tap points OUTdoors and NOT on private property.  

Fountains in toilets are excludes bij te 'indoors' statement  but perhaps we should make that more explicit.

[+blakelylaw580]

I'm confused, I joined the group & saw the note that the category has been created, but when I searched for the category "drinking water" I couldn't find it. I think it's a great idea as much time as we spend in the outdoors.

[+Max and 99]

I've seen a lot of these closed down in the last year during the pandemic.

[+Axel-F]

Hi All! It's been a while...., but I just came accross this imho High potential and even useful new category. At some spots I changed drinking in potable.  New active members are always welcome, just like feedback or remarks.

[+Torgut]

I will vote YES, that's all. 

[+Ariberna]

My question is... if the fountain in the Fountains category is a drinking water fountain, is it approved in both? in one? does it depend on whether it has reliefs and is not just a pipe?

[+ScroogieII]

Well, Axel, what I feel you're actually aiming at here is more in the way of rural, totally rural, or small/tiny town drinking water., however dispensed, as long as it's potable and available (freely or not?) to hikers, bikers, even RVers, and other travelers and passers by. Let's here and now dispense with (pun intended) the notion of New York City Water!

 

Rethink this solely from that paradigm, and I do believe you have a viable (in terms of useful/helpful/life saving) proposal here!

 

The Scrooge. Keith

[+Axel-F]

The peer review ended the 17th (thank you all for the YEA ! :)))) , since then nothing happened....  What is the produdure after the peer review, and within what time frame can we, as enthousiastic potental officers, expect any responce from GS HQ? 

[+Torgut]

What a pity I missed the vote! That's a category I ve been supporting since the idea came out.

[+Alfouine]

Just search on Google play or Apple play and you will have a nice app with all free drinking water points

[+Axel-F]

6 hours ago, Alfouine said:

Just search on Google play or Apple play and you will have a nice app with all free drinking water points

At least 20% of the cat's is covered in an app imho , but thanks for the tip!

[+Axel-F]

Hi peers, Thanks to all for the honest and straightforward feedback on the cat. It's a pity that some feedback clearly indicated not having read the extended description. 

However we will keep the comments close to us in case we have the ambition for any new cat to present.

[+dreamhummie]

Quote

Just search on Google play or Apple play and you will have a nice app with all free drinking water points

Ah thats great and apps will be the end of many new Waymarking categories.

I thought the point of Waymarking was to photograph nice waymarks and publish them.

I don't see pictures in the app for water tap points only a dot on the map in the app. Most apps don't show pictures.

You can download an app for almost every category for example Restaurants, & Stores, Electric Car Charging Stations, Electric Bike Charging Stations, Cycling & Hiking Routes and many many others.

We did get some nice responses, including personal ones, but unfortunately the category is not going ahead.

 

[+Axel-F]

Hi All, We are more or less back in business and have some lessons learned from the positive intended feedback from our cat. Peer Review. We will combine that all with the process of other Peer reviews and are looking forward for putting this valuable new categorie up for another Peer review soon. In the meantime, feel free to join the group.