By Pete Whyatt

For too long at the fag end of public amenity. Drinking fountains like this one outside Great Portland Street station could be restored and new ones created.
For too long at the fag end of public amenity. Drinking fountains like this one outside Great Portland Street station could be restored and new ones created.

A City of Westminster councillor has proposed a network of water fountains throughout the West End to provide free drinking water to the public. The initiative would cut down on the transportation of bottled water into central London and reduce the amount of litter created from discarded plastic water bottles.

Councillor Jonathan Glanz wants to see the restoration of the many beautiful but disused existing water fountains, and the introduction of new fountains from which people could fill their own water bottles. This would be a greener alternative to bottled water and make “the West End a more welcoming place for the millions of visitors expected for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, World Pride, and the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012, and produce a lasting effect for the future”, said the West End ward councillor.

Jonathan Glanz told Fitzrovia News: “I have received the support of local residents and businesses and I am hoping the new fountains could be paid for by developers and the older fountains restored with help from the Drinking Water Fountains Foundation with support from the West End Ward Budget.

“Such fountains would provide a healthy alternative to other forms of drink. This would also reduce packaging, deliveries, collection of waste and landfill space. They would serve young and old, residents and visitors alike. They could also provide a much needed opportunity to hydrate those affected by excessive alcohol consumption,” said Jonathan.

One reply on “Drinking fountains could return to West End”

  1. That is an interesting idea, especially as the city is already littered with ancient drinking fountains rendered useless by neglect. Some of them are valuable historic documents in their own right.

    What would concern me, I think, would be the design of these putative new fountains from the hygiene point of view. The old system of chained cups is hardly likely to find favour today! I am sure, though, that the Drinking Fountain Association (the modern incarnation of the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association) would be ready to offer advice!

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