Kaiserslautern, fresh: New drinking water fountain refreshes the city!

Kaiserslautern, fresh: New drinking water fountain refreshes the city!

Something is happening in Kaiserslautern in terms of drinking water supply. A new drinking water fountain was recently installed at the Fackelbrunnen in the city center, and this is not just anything, but the fourth of its kind that the Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern (SWK) is building together with the city. This initiative aims to not only provide the citizens of Lauter with refreshing drinking water, but also to contribute to waste prevention. The first fountain was installed in July 2019 as part of a funding program from the Ministry of the Environment, Energy, Food and Forestry and has since received a lot of positive feedback.

The new fountain is waiting to be visited by the people of Kaiserslautern. On average, the three existing fountains are well frequented each year with around 25,000 liters of water, with the one in the pedestrian zone being the absolute crowd puller. Bernd Bohn, head of technology at SWK, and mayor Manfred Schulz have already tested the new fountain and were visibly enthusiastic.

Sustainability and health in focus

That's not enough! Environment Minister Ulrike Höfken emphasizes the need to respond to rising temperatures and the health challenges they pose for the population. With the new funding program “100 public drinking water dispensers for Rhineland-Palatinate”, those responsible want to emphasize the importance of drinking tap water and reduce the use of disposable bottles. To support the installation of a drinking water fountain, municipalities and water supply companies provide up to 4,000 euros, while the ongoing operating costs must be borne by the respective companies.

A key goal of the program is to raise awareness of the excellent quality of tap water. In fact, the production of plastic bottles in Germany is being used less and less by the population, which can also be seen as environmental awareness. The fact is: a bottle of mineral water causes up to 1,000 times more CO2 emissions compared to the same amount of tap water. In this context, it is no wonder that the Kaiserslautern public utility company is participating in this program and putting additional fountains into operation.

Public Drinking Water Fountains: A Return to Tradition

The establishment of public drinking water fountains has a long tradition in Germany. But the trend toward bottled water has led to a decline in these convenient places in recent years. However, thanks to the Water Resources Act (WHG), which was introduced in 2009, the careful use of water and the protection of water resources are now becoming more of a focus. The expansion of government initiatives is promoting the return of wells and ensuring that the population everywhere has access to clean drinking water.

Coordinated efforts at local and national levels are needed to realize the benefits of public fountains. Through regular maintenance, quality checks and education about the correct use of the fountains, we are well on the way to achieving our goal: reducing plastic waste and improving water supplies for everyone.

In Kaiserslautern, citizens are not only closer to a new drinking water fountain, but also to a more environmentally conscious life. With every sip at the torch fountain, everyone makes their small contribution to waste prevention and health.

You can find more information in the reports from Kaiserslautern.de, Mkuem.rlp.de and Aquadona.com.