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HOUSE.
IF YOU'RE A RUNNER, A CYCLIST
-- OR JUST SOMEONE WHO LIKES
TO BE OUTDOORS IN AUSTIN -
YOU'VE LIKELY FOUND YOURSELF
WONDERING ...WHERE ARE THE
WATER COOLERS ALONG THE HIKE
AND BIKE TRAIL?ANSWER IS -
THEY'RE GONE, AND MIGHT NOT BE
COMING BACK.WE GOT VIEWER
TIPS-- COMPLAINING ABOUT IT--
SO WE LOOKED INTO IT.
IT.KXAN'S ANGIE BEAVIN JOINS
US LIVE FROM THE TRAIL TONIGHT
-- WITH MORE ON WHAT MIGHT
HAPPEN.
3
THE WATER COOLERS ONCE SAT ON
TABLES RIGHT HERE ...NEAR THE
1ST STREET BRIDGE. SEVERAL
OTHERS DOWN THE TRAIL UNDER
THE MOPAC OVERPASS.CITY
OFFICIALS TELL US THE PARKS
AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WAS
CONCEREND THE WATER COOLERS
COULD POSE A HEALTH HAZARD.SO
- THEY'RE GONE FOR NOW, AND IT
WILL TAKE AN OFFICIAL CITY
PERMIT TO GET THEM BACK.A
DECISION A LOT OF PEOPLE WE
TALKED TO AREN'T SO HAPPY
ABOUT.
3
DILLION CANIZALES "I'VE BEEN
RUNNING AT ZILKER SINCE I WAS
LITTLE. I STARTED HERE AND
WENT TO THE OTHER BRIDGE. THIS
WAS MY STOPPING POINT FOR
WATER, AND IT'S NO LONGER
HERE."HIS STORY IS LIKE MANY...
MANY...
LINDSEY PEARCE "I ACTUALLY
THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A REALLY
COOL THING ABOUT AUSTIN, IS
THE FACT THAT THEY HAD THE
WATER COOLERS FOR RUNNERS.
AND I USED THEM EVERY DAY."
LOCAL COMPANIES RUNTEX AND
ROGUE RUNNING PROVIDED
COOLERS, FILLED THEM WITH
WATER, AND SET THEM UP ON
TABLES FOR EVERYONE TO USE.
USE.
SUZANNE HERSHEY, "IT'S BEEN A
GREAT SEVICE FORM RUNTEX. I
THINK THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT
RUNTEX DOES IT." BUT THE
AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION
DEPARTMENT WENT TO THE CITY'S
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.THE CONCERN? --
LIABILITY OF THE CITY - AND
PERMITTING PROCEDURES.
CITY OFFICIALS TELL KXAN,
"BECAUSE THESE WATER COOLERS
WERE NOT PROPERLY PERMITTED,
PROPERLY SECURED AND LOCKED
DOWN--THERE WAS A RISK FOR
TAMPERING."THE COMPANIES COULD
GET AN OPERATING PERMIT, OR
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS THE
"VENDORS ALSO HAVE THE OPTION
TO PASS OUT PRE-PACKAGED
WATER."ROGUE RUNNING TOOK
THEIR CONCERNS TO FACEBOOK -
ASKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM
PEOPLE WHO USE AND APPRECIATE
THE WATER COOLERS.THE COMPANY
STRESSED THAT PERMITS AND
INSPECTIONS WOULD COST THEM
HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
WATER-DRINKERS WE TALKED TO
SAY THEY UNDERSTAND IT 'COULD'
BE A RISK. ...BUT IT'S A
DECISION THEY LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE.
MAKE.
SUZANNE HERSHEY, "I MAKE THAT
CHOICE EVERY DAY AND
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
THAT RUNTEX HAS PROVIDED."
PROVIDED."LINDSEY PEARCE, "IF
PEOPLE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THEM
BEING UNHEALTHY THAT THEY
DIDN'T NEED TO DRINK OUT OF THEM."
THEM." "I WAS NEVER CONCERNED
ABOUT THEM BEING UNHEALTHY
FOR ANY REASON."
3
AND PEOPLE WE TALKED TO OUT
HERE SAY THEY ESPECIALLY
MISSED THE WATER COOLER TABLES
TODAY.THE WATER FOUNTAINS
ALONG THE TRAIL ARE TURNED OFF
BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL
FREEZE.REPORTING LIVE IN
AUSTIN, ANGIE BEAVIN KXAN