When is a fountain a pool? When Wisconsin says so.

You just have to hate bureaucracy. The city of Chippewa Falls in West Central Wisconsin has a large, beautiful park by the name of Irvine Park. Last year, couple of local businesses 'pooled' their resources to build a fountain in Irvine Park in order to celebrate their 100th anniversaries. The fountain cost $100,000, and it was built specifically so people could walk through it, much as children run through sprinklers. The Department of Commerce green lighted it, and last year the lovely Mrs. Jib and I took an afternoon to enjoy it. But then the Department of Health got involved:

But when the Wisconsin Department of Health came knocking at the end of summer, trouble was in store.

The fountain, which is circular, features 12 streams of water that shoot toward the center of the fountain. The water was no deeper than the soles of a pair of tennis shoes and children and adults were able to walk and run through the fountain's sprays.

Doesn't sound like much of a swimming pool to me.

But the fountain was classified as an interactive pool by the department of health. And as a pool, there are a number of restrictions that the fountain didn't meet.

"It's quite disturbing," says Chippewa Falls mayor Dan Hedrington.

He even goes a little further.

"Some of the restrictions put on by the state are ludicrous," he added.

If the city were to allow children to run through the fountain it would be required to install a pay phone, install first aid kits, and put a heavy duty fencing around the area that would allow it to be locked and secure at the end of the day. There has even been talk that a life guard could be necessary.

To rip off John Stossel, gimme a break. Does the department of health have nothing better to do than hassle the city of this fountain. A life guard for a fountain that doesn't have standing water? Maybe the legislature should go back and remove some funding for the Department of Health from the budget. They obviously don't have enough to do now.

(cross posted at Jiblog)