The Bloomsburg Police department is on the lookout for the person(s) who are responsible for dumping soap into the Bloomsburg town fountain which resulted in soapy suds flooding the sidewalks and street. 

It was reported on Saturday, September 3rd, that one or more perpetrators were responsible for dumping soap into the water of the Bloomsburg Fountain on 93 west main street. Police received calls around 10:30 pm. Upon arrival, they were greeted with the sight of soap suds flooding the fountain and spilling over into the roadway. Luckily for the town police and the town’s Public Works Department, they arrived just in time to prevent any serious damage from occurring. When asked, Bloomsburg Police Chief Scott Price had this to say on the matter: “In this most recent incident, fortunately, it was discovered quickly and efforts to mitigate damage and shut the fountain off were largely successful.”

However, these events are not the first time this had occurred at the town’s fountain. A similar event occurred in 2020. “Damage to the fountain was fairly substantial,” said Price. The damage that can occur is fairly dependent on how quickly the situation is discovered and what kind of substance is placed in the fountain. Chief Price spoke about how  “aeration and cavitation can damage pumps which aren’t designed to run dry” and while being seen as a harmless prank, it is anything but for those who have to deal with the aftermath. As mentioned, some damage had resulted from the previous occurrence and likely would have resulted had it not been for the town’s quick response. Now clean up can begin which requires significant effort for the Public Works Department to clean and purge the fountain of foreign substances.

Though this is seen as a prank the repercussions one can face would say otherwise. One of the things Chief Price was asked was the possible criminal charges one can face. The charges “would include criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. The grading of the crime of criminal mischief depends on the amount (monetary) of damage accrued and can range from a summary offense to felony of the 3rd degree.” Students who might have any information regarding the incident or any others can submit anonymous tips through the Bloomsburg Police “Crime Watch” portal and report any similar situations to the police. You could end up saving the town thousands in damages.