Drinking Fountains Abundant: Szeged and Budapest Among Top Global Cities
Water fountains have had a tumultuous history, experiencing both highs and lows. During the Victorian era, they thrived as a popular alternative to unclean water and excessive alcohol consumption, depending on the fountain’s sponsor. However, as bottled water gained popularity and was marketed as a more sanitary and stylish option, fountains declined worldwide.
Just as fountains were making a comeback in response to the anti-plastic bottle movement, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. People became wary of touching anything that others had come into contact with, including tap handles and push buttons on water fountains, despite the minimal risk of transmission through such means. Now, with the easing of lockdown measures and renewed concern for the climate crisis, fountains are making a resurgence.
QS Supplies, a research organization, conducted a study to determine the locations in the world with the highest concentration of water drinking fountains. Here are some key findings from their research:
– Montenegro has the highest number of public water fountains per 100,000 people, with 472.4 fountains.
– Zürich, Switzerland, has the most public water fountains per 100,000 people among all cities, with 221.9 fountains.
– Bournemouth is the UK city with the highest number of public fountains (4.36 per 100,000 people) compared to the national average of 2.08.
– Washington D.C. has the most water fountains among U.S. cities, with 24.83 fountains per 100,000 people, surpassing the national average of 5.01.
Moreover, the study highlighted the outstanding performance of two Hungarian cities, Szeged and Budapest. Both cities have made significant strides in reducing plastic waste by providing access to free and drinkable water through public drinking fountains. According to the research, Szeged has 136.22 fountains per 100,000 people, making it the fourth city worldwide with the highest number of drinking fountains. Budapest follows closely in the ninth position, outperforming cities like Rome, Amsterdam, Canberra, Vienna, and Tel-Aviv. Even Geneva, Switzerland, falls behind Szeged in terms of fountain availability.
By promoting the use of public drinking fountains, cities can contribute to the reduction of single-use plastic bottles and combat the issue of plastic waste. The findings from QS Supplies’ study provide valuable insights into the cities and countries that are leading the way in ensuring access to free, clean drinking water through water fountains.
