“Fountains are more than just decorative features,” Stephanie Azzarone, a 72-year-old native New Yorker and history buff, told The Post.

Her new book, “ Fabulous Fountains of New York ” (Empire State Editions, out Sept. 2), is devoted to the beautiful landmarks that dot the city and gets at the surprising, sometimes sordid tales behind several of them. 10

She notes that while some were designed to provide water for horses, others aimed to deter NYC’s human inhabitants from imbibing too much alcohol.

“The city created them with the hopes they would drink water instead,” launghed Azzarone, who produced the book with her photographer husband, Robert F. Rodriguez, 72.

The couple have called the Upper West Side home for more than 40 years and love exploring its history and, yes, its

See Full Page