The AODA has standards for the design of public spaces, but no standards for accessibility in other built environments. However, the Third Review of the AODA recommends improvements to all standards and laws governing buildings and public spaces. In addition, the review recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country. For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for accessibility in the built environment. Future AODA standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make buildings more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal built environment standards for accessible drinking fountains in buildings.
Accessible Drinking Fountains in Buildings
Everyone should be able to reach and use drinking fountains. Therefore, fountains should be near accessible paths of travel within buildings. However, a fountain should not be an obstacle in a path of travel. For example, a fountain can be placed in an alcove. Likewise, a cantilevered fountain should be cane-detectable.
The standards recommend multiple fountains at different heights. Fountain design should allow people to:
- Drink directly from the spout
- Fill bottles or cups
Moreover, the standards list measurements for drinking fountains, such as:
- Knee and toe clearance for cantilevered fountains
- Height, including the height of the:
- Spout
- Water flow
Spouts should be at the front of fountains, and water flow should be parallel with the front. Similarly, controls to operate fountains should:
- Be at the front, or on both sides
- Comply with requirements for accessible building controls
These controls should be automatic or hand-operated, through touchless activation sensors, when possible. Users should control timing when they operate fountains with their hands. In addition, fountains should have good colour contrast with their controls and their backgrounds.