Staying hydrated during school can make a huge difference in energy and focus, but not all water fountains at Liberty are created equal. To settle the debate, I traveled around the building tasting and ranking fountains based on flavor, temperature, and convenience. 

These fountains are on the general route of every student, which is through the many downstairs hallways and the 4 upstairs hallways, as well as the gym and locker fountains.

Sumerduck (science/math hallway) fountain: 6/10

Although it had a slightly metallic taste, it was nicely chilled and refreshing. It’s fully en route to most of the upstairs classes from the stairway outside of the bus loop entrance, but it’s a little past some of the science classes. The accessibility of this fountain depends on where you’re coming from and where you’re going.

Goldvein close-up (auditorium) fountain: 1/10

Worst water I’ve ever drank. It tasted like lead poisoning. Its only upside is that it’s right in front of the gym doors so it’s easy to get to, but there are 2 other water fountains in the locker room hallway and another fountain in the cafeteria. I wouldn’t mind if this fountain were removed.

Goldvein far-out (gym bathrooms) fountain: 2/10

Tasted metallic and was a little sketchy (there was a paper towel tube in it for some reason?). Not worth the walk.

Morrisville (locker hall) girl’s side fountain: 5/10

Very standard water fountain, it tastes like what you’d expect. It’s right outside the gym so it’s easy to get to, but it’s basically only usable by gym and driver’s ed students.

Morrisville (locker hall) boy’s side fountain: 4/10

Tasted about the same as the girl’s side fountain, albeit a bit more metallic. Its placement makes it slightly less accessible, though, as it’s out of the way of the driver’s ed students.

Both locker room fountains: 3/10

Mostly standard water fountains, but their placements combined with how crowded locker rooms get make it impossible to drink from either without getting bumped into. They’re also only available to people that can be in the locker rooms, and they’re outshined by the locker hallway fountains.

Catlett (tech ed, foreign lang, special ed and guidance hallway) fountain: 4/10

A slightly metallic taste and standard cooling, this water is standard in terms of taste. Its weakness is its placement. Being in the exact middle of a busy hall, its usability is subpar. Whether you pass it or not depends entirely on your route.

Calverton (language arts hallway) fountain: 4/10

The first time I had water from here, it tasted like iron. Revisiting it, however, I found that it was pleasantly cool and a lot less metallic than I had remembered. Its location in the middle of the English hallway makes it easy to miss, especially with how packed the hall can get between classes. 

Casanova (arts and music hallway) fountain: 8/10

I was surprised by how cool this water was. For a few seconds I thought I was drinking filter water. It has a slightly metallic aftertaste, but it didn’t bother me too much. The position of this fountain makes it very easy to get to while going to the cafeteria, gym, or one of the art classes.

Cafeteria water fountain: 6/10

Maybe the strangest EZH20 I’ve had. It had the temperature of a lesser fountain and the taste of sitting filter water. It’s easily accessible for people having lunch, but for people going to the gym, it’ll require a short detour.

Somerville (history hallway) fountain: 5/10

A simple water fountain, with a very slight mineral taste and a cold temperature. It’s most available to people going through the history hallway, but its placement at the end of the hall makes it a slight detour for everyone else.

Honorable non-water fountain mentions:

Switch: 7.5/10

I’m lumping all of these together because they more or less taste the same. Mediocre as far as sodas go, though they could possibly be a good diet beverage. I find myself getting sick of the taste quickly.

Caprisun: 9/10

A classic childhood beverage for many. All of them are good. They all have different tastes but I’d rank all of them the same. 

Plastic bottled water: 0/10

Even the most amateur water enthusiasts despise these disgusting bottles of liquid evil.

Tomato soup: 7/10

While not exactly a traditional beverage, it’s a nice treat to have alongside grilled cheese at lunch, where it serves an important role in consumption. If you didn’t know already, you can dip your grilled cheese into the tomato soup to soften the edges and add taste.

Those are my rankings of each water fountain. Most of the data here was passively recorded as I commuted around the school, which just goes to show how easy it is to get water between classes. While some fountains clearly stand above the rest, Liberty students are lucky to have plenty of places to refill between classes. Whether you prefer icy cold water or just the closest fountain before the bell rings, hydration at Liberty definitely comes with options.