Water: An Essential Element of Summer in the City

A youngster cools off at the Alaskan Adventure splash pad at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb., Thursday, July 21, 2016, as high temperatures and humidity affect much of the central U.S., making it feel as hot as 115 degrees Fahrenheit in some places and leading some cities to open cooling stations and take other precautions.
A youngster cools off at the Alaskan Adventure splash pad at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb., Thursday, July 21, 2016, as high temperatures and humidity affect much of the central U.S., making it feel as hot as 115 degrees Fahrenheit in some places and leading some cities to open cooling stations and take other precautions. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Hard to think about summer in a city without thinking about water. City Lab has a number of good reads here.