Germany battles heat waves with drinking water fountains

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On August 10, the German cabinet approved a draft bill to install more water fountains in German cities and municipalities. If the law passes the Bundestag, local authorities will be obliged to provide access to free drinking water in public spaces as part of the so-called "Daseinsvorsorge" (guaranteed basic public services framework).

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While the key point of public water fountains is to help avoid the use of plastic bottles, it's also a public health issue in Germany, with its increasingly hot urban centers and aging population.

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Aside from installing more fountains, Rabe said more still needs to be done to provide easily accessible information to the public on where to find the nearest drinking fountain or free access to water through initiatives like Refill Berlin –– a project A Tip: Tap is already working on.

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Of the 201 fountains in Berlin, only the newer concrete "Bituma Fountains" are accessible for wheelchair users, of which 26 are operational with an additional 50 on order.

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