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Where can I find publicly available splash pad data and datasets?
Quick answer
Start with city open-data portals (search 'spray ground' or 'splash pad'), the NRPA Park Metrics database, state parks-and-rec association reports, CDC waterborne-illness outbreak reports, OpenStreetMap leisure=splash_pad tags, and Google Places. National directories like SplashPadHub aggregate these sources into a single browsable map.
Comprehensive splash pad data does not live in any single federal database, but several public sources can be combined. City and county open-data portals — Chicago, NYC, Houston, and Austin all publish parks-asset feature classes — frequently tag spray grounds with location, install year, and operator. The NRPA Park Metrics dataset gives benchmark counts by population. State parks-and-rec association annual reports often summarize regional water-feature counts. The CDC's waterborne disease outbreak surveillance reports list splash pads involved in any reported outbreak. OpenStreetMap contributors tag splash pads with `leisure=splash_pad` and the data exports cleanly via Overpass Turbo. Google Places returns thousands of spray-ground records via the Places API. Academic researchers can also request CPSC NEISS data on injuries. Aggregator directories like SplashPadHub, KidsCanRun, and ParkScore compile these sources for public use.