Winter Preservation of Fountains: Preparing for the Cold
With the arrival of October, the specialists of the Municipal Enterprise "Service Center" started the winter preservation of the city fountains to ensure their operation in spring.
The preservation of a fountain is a complex task. To ensure the fountains survive the winter, the enterprise's specialists need to purge the water supply systems, dismantle the nozzles, and disconnect electrical and pumping equipment. After dismantling, an inspection of the fountain's equipment is conducted, and necessary repairs are made.
This year, the first fountain to be shut down was located at the Railway Station Square. Following this, plans are in place to preserve the fountains: "Waterfall" on Kosivska Street and "Mermaid" in Victory Park.
Other fountains in the city's parks will cease operation by mid-October, while those in the central part of Odessa will be preserved last. Thus, by early November, it is expected that all city fountains will be preserved.
Additionally, in recent years, the Municipal Enterprise "Service Center" has been practicing the complete sealing of the basins of some fountains. This method is applied to the fountains located in the City Garden, Shevchenko Park ("Small Vase"), and the Cosmonauts Square. Since the beginning of the war, four fountains located in the UNESCO zone have been fully preserved and did not operate this year.
The reverse process of unsealing the fountains will begin in early spring. Typically, the first fountains are turned on in the city center by April 1, with the rest following in April.
Note
The Municipal Enterprise "Service Center" is responsible for 27 city fountains. In 2024, 17 fountains were unsealed. All of them are located outdoors, making weather conditions the primary factor in their operational period.
Fifteen employees of the Municipal Enterprise "Service Center" ensure the normal operation of these fountains.
Throughout the spring-summer-fall period, specialists carry out maintenance: cleaning the bowls of the fountains, collecting trash, cleaning external filters and nozzles, flushing sand filters, and adding water to the required level.
In addition to scheduled maintenance, Odessa's fountains occasionally suffer from vandalism. In such cases, repairs are conducted on an emergency basis.
As always, the fountain on Crimean Boulevard has faced the most vandalism incidents, with many teenagers ignoring warnings and engaging in destructive behavior.
All restoration and repair work is handled by the specialists of the Municipal Enterprise "Service Center," who continue to perform their duties despite the challenges posed by wartime circumstances.
