From Trevi in Rome to the Peterhof Palace in St Petersburg, fountains have been making a splash around the world for centuries.
So North East Fife councillors have expressed surprise that a soon-to-be reinstated fountain in the centre of St Andrews could be “more of a drip than a gush” amid fears it could breed Legionnaires’ Disease.
Members of Fife Council’s North East Fife Area Committee have given their unanimous backing to the reinstatement of the Whyte-Melville Fountain in Market Street.
It’s thought to be around 80 years since water flowed from the 133-year-old monument and work to upgrade it will now start in around eight weeks.
St Andrews councillor Dorothea Morrison said she would have liked to have seen greater water pressure allowed when the fountain is finally switched on next year.
She said: “I gather the water is going to be more of a drip than a gush. Also, at Raisin Weekend, there was a lot of student activity around the fountain. We’ll need to make sure that in future there are not people splashing around in the fountain.”
Fife Council officials say the risk assessment carried out in advance of work beginning included measures to ensure that Legionnaires’ Disease did not become an issue.
Councillors were told that Legionnaires’ needs temperatures of 20C-45C and a “fine mist” to survive. The lower water pressure trickling into a lower basin would mean there was less chance of spray being created. A sterilisation unit would also be built in to aid water cleanliness, councillors were told.
But East Neuk Fife councillor Elizabeth Riches questioned why this had to be the case.
She said: “How can you visit fountains in other cities across the world and it doesn’t seem to be an issue? Does Legionnaires’ Disease act differently in other countries?”
The fountain was erected in 1880 to commemorate Major George Whyte-Melville who died in 1878.
Fife Council regards the fountain as a Common Good asset.
Contributions towards the cost of reinstatement have been made by the Pilgrim Foundation and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. A further £10,000 will come from the St Andrews Common Good Fund.