‘Water can sometimes be taken for granted’: Vancouver homeless rely on outreach workers, public drinking fountains

For most people who are thirsty, all they have to do is walk to the kitchen sink and fill a glass at the faucet. But for people living outside, slaking thirst isn’t so easy.

“I think water can sometimes be taken for granted. It’s not as easy as going to the tap and having it. It’s just something you always … have to think about and plan to get,” said Dave Treptow, who lives in an encampment in downtown Vancouver.

Treptow and others living on Vancouver’s streets said they rely on bottled water from outreach workers or nearby drinking water fountains to stay hydrated and wash their hands.

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Public drinking fountains are a lifeline for people living outside, some of them said. Vancouver operates 39 outdoor drinking water fountains, said Laura Shepard, a city spokeswoman. Four are