In this passionate and thought-provoking essay, Edward Thomas Wakefield argues for the establishment of public drinking fountains in urban areas. He argues that access to clean drinking water is a basic human right, and that the government has a responsibility to provide this service to its citizens. Wakefield's eloquent prose and compelling arguments make this an essential text for anyone interested in public policy and social justice. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.