The news follows three new installations – two at Liverpool Street train station and one at the Heart of Valentines Park (Redbridge) – this past month, which saw the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan work alongside the #OneLess campaign and MIW Water Cooler Experts.
Together, they hope the scheme will encourage Londoners to “keep hydrated on the go without using single-use plastic water bottle.” 20 fountains are already confirmed with “further plans to install more before the end of the year.
Khan said: “Water fountains are a simple but effective way to encourage people to ditch daily ‘pointless’ plastic bottles and instead refill reusable bottles.
“With the hot weather we’ve seen this summer, the demand is greater than ever for quick and easy ways of accessing free drinking water and I’m pleased to confirm the locations for the first of our 20 new public water fountains.
“Some of these are already attracting thousands of visitors a day and we are working on plans to secure many more across London.”
Among others, locations are set to include: Windrush Square Brixton, the Natural History Museum, the Horniman Museum and Gardens, Camberwell Green, North Acton Station Square, Bexleyheath Town Centre, and Paddington Recreation Ground.
Welcoming news for environmentally conscious Brits, with 78% admitting they would like greater availability of free tap water in a survey carried out by Keep Britain Tidy and BRITA in April.
Dr Heather Koldewey, director of the #OneLess campaign and head of marine and freshwater at Zoological Society of London, added: “We were taken aback by the number of applications we received to install drinking fountains across London.
“There is definitely huge appetite to stop using single-use plastic and establish a new culture of refilling.
“We are delighted to be working with the Mayor of London on this exciting initiative to reduce the plastic blight on the ocean and firmly establish London as a city that no longer uses plastic bottled water.”
Chief executive of MIW Water Cooler Experts, who are installing all fountains, Mike Winter, said, “It’s great to see London lead the way in reinstating a public supply of drinking water.
“Modern refill stations have come a long way from the Victorian fountains that used to fill the city.
“They’re now robust, hygienic and easy to maintain and there’s no reason why more cities shouldn’t follow London’s example to help people stay refreshed on the go without damaging the planet.”