| Title |
Water Quality Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Park Drinking Fountains |
| Authors |
권상조 ( Sang-jo Kwon ) , 김은아 ( Eun-ah Kim ) , 조덕희 ( Duk-hee Joh ) , 이효진 ( Hyo-jin Lee ) , 정승규 ( Seung-gyu Jung ) , 조승연 ( Seung-yeon Cho ) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.15681/KSWE.2024.40.5.229 |
| Keywords |
Drinking fountain; Faucet type; First draws; Heavy metals; Water quality characteristics |
| Abstract |
This study investigated water quality characteristics and influencing factors of park drinking fountains having directly piped water systems by analyzing stagnation water (first draw) and water after a 10-minute flush (flushed water). First draws exhibited significant variations in residual chlorine, heavy metals, bacteria, and turbidity, which were largely influenced by usage frequency and external environmental contamination. However, water quality stabilized after flushing. A seasonal analysis indicated that the greatest difference in residual chlorine between first draws and flushed water occurred in spring, followed by that in winter when drinking fountains were discontinued, accompanied by increased zinc concentrations in stagnation water. A comparative analysis of water quality variability by faucet type revealed that push-button faucets exhibited greater variabilities in copper, zinc, and nickel levels than screw-down faucets, likely due to corrosive by-products generated from water hammer effects. Additionally, an analysis based on exterior material indicated that metal fountains experienced higher temperature increases and elevated zinc concentrations in first draws than stone fountains. Regarding installation environments, drinking fountains exposed to direct sunlight or partial shade had higher concentrations of copper, zinc, and nickel in first draws than those installed in constant shade. Overall, these findings suggest that frequent use or flushing can help maintain stable water quality with the exception of push-button faucets. |