NL's whale fountain shut off for sanitary reasons

New London — The city turned off the water at the new whale tail fountain over the weekend after someone reportedly defecated in the water.

"People are using the tail as a latrine,'' Evelyn Louziotis said. "It's an $11 million bathroom."

"It's sad,'' City Councilor Michael Buscetto III said during Monday's City Council meeting. "It's two steps forward and three steps backward. There are people in the city who don't care, and they need to be dealt with."

Buscetto said since water started flowing in the whale fountain last month, police and fire officials have been called for people urinating, defecating and washing themselves off in the fountain water. He said some people who have cut themselves have also used the fountain to rinse off blood.

"I'm concerned with the sanitary aspect of the water," Buscetto said, adding that there needs to be more supervision at the Parade. He said city officials know who is abusing the fountain and the Parade area.

"Let's call them frequent flyers,'' he said, referring to a group of people who routinely hang out on the benches on the Parade.