New Record: No Other City Has as Many Drinking Fountains as Vienna
In Vienna, with the onset of the warmer season, the supply of public drinking water has once again been expanded. Since 2021, 500 new drinking fountains have been installed - 100 of them just last year. With the current commissioning of the 1,600th fountain, a new high has been reached, explained Climate City Councillor Jürgen Czernohorszky (SPÖ) on Monday.
"It is important to me that people can quickly cool down and quench their thirst in as many places as possible in Vienna," said Czernohorszky. Especially on hot days, the drinking stations should contribute to refreshment and health care.
Operation of Vienna's drinking fountains starts around World Water Day
The annual commissioning of the drinking fountains traditionally begins in March around World Water Day. Initially, fountains in the Vienna city center are activated, where the risk of frost is lower. In the outer districts, the water stations follow throughout the spring. A large part of the infrastructure is maintained by the Vienna City Gardens (MA 42) - especially those in parks and playgrounds.
Additionally, there are misting pillars and so-called "Brunnhildes" with a spray mist function. These provide additional cooling in the city area, especially in summer. According to Vienna Water Chief Paul Hellmeier, 100 of these summer sprayers are currently in operation, mounted on hydrants.
Vienna Leads Europe in Number of Drinking Fountains
In an international comparison, Vienna is far ahead: With 80 drinking fountains per 100,000 inhabitants, the city has many times more publicly accessible water points than Berlin (6) or Munich (5). Even in absolute numbers, Vienna significantly surpasses many European capitals. The city has built more new fountains in the last four years than Berlin has in total, according to Czernohorszky.
More Locations for Drinking Fountains Planned
According to the City of Vienna, new locations are to be developed in the future – especially in urban expansion areas and during the redesign of public squares and streets. The goal is to ensure a comprehensive supply of drinking water and to further enhance the quality of life.
(Red)
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