By Gus Nations IV, Staff Writer

For any Xavier student looking to quench their curiosity about where to find the best water on campus, look no further than @XU_waterfountains on Instagram. 

Created by two students who chose to remain anonymous, @XU_waterfountains is the culmination of years of passion. 

“We are very passionate about water fountains and have been since we were kids, but the account became an idea when we were in Logan, and we were thirsty,” the creators said. 

“We both tried the water fountain and realized it was a really good fountain… People needed to know”.

Since then, @XU_waterfountains has featured fourteen fountains campus wide with strict criteria in their rating process. 

“The main criteria we rate the fountains on is temperature, water pressure and taste/flavor of the water. Typically, we don’t focus on the overall look of the fountain or location,” the creators said.

They added that, most importantly, “an ideal fountain has very cold water, good water pressure and has a crisp, nonmetallic taste.”

The original fountain on the second floor of Logan Hall received a rating of 7.5 out of 10 with the comment: “Cool and smooth. Will leave you wanting more.”

Besides Logan, highlights from the account include Schmidt Hall’s first floor fountain and McDonald Library’s third floor fountain, receiving the account’s highest ratings thus far at 9.5 out of 10 and nine out of 10, respectively. 

Of the Schmidt Hall fountain, the pair commented: “This fountain has a lot to offer!! The water pressure is immaculate, and it is the coldest fountain I have tried yet. True diamond in the rough.”

It’s not all smooth sailing, though. Certain fountains on campus have not been viewed so favorably. 

In one review, @XU_waterfountains rated Hailstones Hall’s basement fountain  two out of 10, their lowest rating so far. 

“Pretty crappy water fountains,” the pair said. “Absolutely no redeeming qualities. Reminds me of dish water.”

Hailstones Hall’s fountain was not the only fountain to be rated poorly. 

The third floor Justice Hall Tower B fountain received a three out of 10 and was called an “absolute disappointment.” It was deemed “too warm to enjoy at its fullest potential,” with a “slight metallic aftertaste.”

The account has amassed 75 followers thus far, but with over 25 buildings and hundreds of fountains around Xavier, @XU_waterfountains has their work cut out for them. 

The account has rated fountains in a wide variety of locations on campus, but buildings  such as Heidt  Family Champions Center and first-year residence Brockman Hall’s fountains have yet to be evaluated.

Fortunately, the pair is not alone in their efforts. @XU_waterfountains is open to submissions via direct message, and the account encourages students to reach out to have their rating featured. 

With many fountains left to rate, the pair hopes to keep the account alive. 

“We will continue to keep rating water fountains as much as we can and try to grow,” they said.