No more drinking fountains at the fair, but free water still available

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Drinking fountains are a thing of the past at the Fresno Fair. There was only one left this year and it has been removed. Still, there are places to get a free drink of water.

Margaret Gervacio took a break after a long day at the fair on Thursday, "in the daytime when we came it was hot," she said.

Gervacio was prepared for it with plenty of water she brought from home - enough to share with her boyfriend, "we have some in the car, a gallon of water in the car and then we can stamp our hand, go across the street and bring it back in."

It's a good idea but according to the fair's rules, only people with health concerns can do.

For everyone else, there are information booths equipped with water coolers. Wayne Flynn works in one of the booths and he hands out the water in cups,

Flynn said, "eventually everyone will know all the information booths have water, they just have to ask for it."

The free water is a service to make up for missing drinking fountains. All of the old ones have been removed. The last one was in the Commerce Building and there's still a mark from where it used to be.

Lauri King who is the deputy director of the fair said, "they would just get to the point where they were beyond repair, leaking, so we just had to eliminate them at that point."

Rip Hovde said he didn't even know they were gone, "I was looking around so I'm glad I bought my water."

Had he known it was free at the booths, he could have saved a few bucks. But he says it's the fair and he's okay with spending a little money.

The Fresno Fair also offers free water at guest services near the gate and at the "mommy zone."