Shady umbrellas, more water fountains
- Source: Global Times
- [09:11 May 20 2010]
- Comments
A boy prepares to take a sip of water from a fountain inside the Expo Park during a trial run last month. Photo: Wu Gang
By Duan Wuning
Organizers are hard at work trying to make it easier and more hygienic for visitors to quench their thirst at the some 100 water stations scattered around the Expo Park.
Nearly 60 more water facilities started being installed Wednesday to provide visitors, who are prohibited from bringing liquids into the park, with shorter walks when filling up their empty water bottles.
The efforts come after officials realized they would need more stations at the conclusion of the trial runs.
Umbrellas are also being set up at the fountains to protect the facilities from rain and sun.
"It has been convenient for me to fill up my bottle," said Xu Yu, 26, a visitor from Hangzhou. "But more stations would be even better."
To encourage visitors to keep the drinking faucets clean, Professor Li Weiying from Tongji University, designer of the water facilities, Wednesday toured the park, showing tourists how to use the taps properly.
Visitors like Guan Xian who has visited the park three times before nodded the effort.
"My mother drinks water from the fountains, but I don't," she said. "I prefer to buy beverages; I don't think it's very hygienic since some people touch their lips to the taps."
Signs to guide confused visitors on how to use the taps have also been added.
The water stations, which are run on highly advanced purification systems, are cleaned and sterilized daily after the park closes. Visitors can therefore rest assured they will not get sick from drinking the water, added Li.
