On Saturday night the SEMO fountain on the corner of Henderson and Broadway was filled with “four pounds of laundry detergent” according to Director of Facilities Management Angela Meyer.

“They definitely caused quite the bubbly sight,” Meyer said.

The fountain was not permanently damaged. Meyer said they refurbished that fountain over the summer.

The cleanup was not an expensive operation, Meyer said, but it is time consuming for those who have to clean the fountain.

A plumber addressed the situation immediately on Saturday, resulting in a three hour overtime job. On Sunday the boiler plant staff spent four hours draining and washing out the fountain with chlorine tabs and defoamer. The staff spent one hour this morning finishing up any cleaning.

Meyer said similar events happen “once or twice a year” and they keep defoamer in stock for that very reason.

The Arrow is following up with DPS for more information.