One of the many features of Ripon that Terry Foster found attractive about the city was that of the water fountains.
He also found the clean streets, the many well-manicured front-yard lawns, and the safe surroundings, to name a few, much to his liking.
 At Tuesday’s Ripon City Council, Foster was thrilled to hear that the fountains will again be pulsating with water.
“It’s like an oasis coming off the freeway,” he said, pointing out at the Mistlin Fountain on East Main Street near the Highway 99 exit /entrance ramp.
Foster, who moved his family from Stockton to Ripon about three years ago, had described the current state of the fountain as “a pile of rocks.”
The City of Ripon operates three water fountains, including the family-friendly interactive features at the Mistlin Sports Park that experienced a limited run for the better part of the past two years – currently scheduled from May 26 through Aug. 14 (Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays) and weekends only from Aug. 15 through Nov. 1.
Plans call for the water fountains – besides the Mistlin Fountain, the other one is located at the corner of Milgeo Avenue and John Roos Drive near Ripona Elementary School – to be turned on again by May 1. Both had been off since the state’s mandatory water restrictions were enforced a few years ago.
That’s not to say the drought is over.
Council members Daniel de Graaf and Jake Parks both noted that the water fountains are a big plus to the aesthetics of the city. But at the same time, they’re urging residents to continue being responsible with their water usages.
Added Councilman Leo Zuber: “People will have to continue doing their part in conserving water,” he said.
Those water-conservation efforts currently consist of a three-times-per-week allowed for watering landscape – from now through October – and tracking the latest water levels using the 2013 figures as the base-line comparison.
Ripon also established a 30-percent water reduction goal per month. Director of Public Works Ted Johnston indicated that the latest city-wide reduction efforts per month was 23 percent.

To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.