By Brandi Makuski

Pranksters have hit city-owned water fountains with soap detergent twice this week — but it’s no joke, according to city leaders.

According to Parks Director Tom Schrader, vandals added detergent to a Main St. water fountain earlier this week, causing the fountain to bubble. On Thursday night, the pranksters struck again at the fountain on Hwy. 10 at McGlachlin Park.

The fountain had to be drained, cleaned out and refilled, Schrader said, which took “several hours” each.

“It’s something people do quite often there,” Schrader said. “People try it a couple times a month. It’s nothing unique or new.”

Schrader said the city often adds anti-foaming solution to the city fountains, which costs about $20 a gallon.

“But it takes our time; we have to spend time to empty and wash it out, so it costs man hours,” Schrader said. “It’ll be several hours over there, monkeying around with this.”

In a video posted to YouTube by local artist Anne Sell, city crews are shown cleaning up the mess.

“They saw the humor in this, even though they did just clean the fountain a few days ago-they were great,” Sell wrote in the video description. “The bubble tornado during their cleanup definitely added to the show. Thanks guys!”

Schrader also said the prank isn’t funny, because if the foam gets in the roadway “it will cause an accident”.

If caught, Schrader said the perpetrators could risk being cited or arrested.

“They’d definitely have to pay restitution for time and labor plus some type of fine,” Schrader said.