Town's Pricey New Fountain Being Used as Bathroom

The people of New London, Connecticut, have been letting city officials know exactly what they think of their very, very expensive whale tail fountain … and it’s not pretty. The city was forced to shut off water flowing out of the public fountain—an 8,000-pound bronze sculpture built as part of an $11 million project—after receiving calls that people had been urinating, defecating, and showering in it; some people reportedly used the water to rinse off blood after cutting themselves, reports the Day of New London.

"It's an $11 million bathroom," complains one New London resident. "I'm concerned with the sanitary aspect of the water," says the city councilor, who notes that the offenders are regulars. "Let's call them frequent fliers,'' he says. The city manager says police are developing a plan to better keep an eye on the area, reports the AP. The fountain features a sculpture of a whale's tail with water spilling over it, which visitors were actually encouraged to run through. Click here to see the fountain for yourself. (More fountain stories.)