California's Garden Water Fountains Study and Results

The first example of a soda tax in the US came in February 2014, when it was passed by the city of Berkley, California. By making soda more expensive, it’s expected that individuals will make healthier choices for what their children drink, like water for instance. First, the city conducted research to examine whether citizens had proper access to working drinking water fountains. Information on the city’s drinking water fountains were developed using a GPS created specifically for the research. The US Census Community Study database was used to compile information relating to race and economic status in these segments. Evaluations were made between the location and demographic data, exposing whether class differences affected availability to clean, functional water fountains. The study was able to pinpoint the demographics of areas with water fountains, also noting whether the condition of the fountains was (inflow info) better or worse in lower class neighborhoods. Most of the water fountains were unclean or clogged, despite the fact that a lot of fountains worked.