City pilots drinking water stations for summer

As the weather heats up, be sure to cool off with one of four new drinking water stations as part of a pilot project around the city.

The four drinking water stations are a result of budget initiative C-2 (page 176/385 here) from City Councillor Nick Paladino during the 2023-2026 Operating Budget deliberations in November 2022. 

“Access to drinking water is important to the general population but also, it’s perhaps most important to the vulnerable members of our community,” says Paladino. “I look forward see how the pilot progresses through the summer and how the community uses them.”

Jeremy Charlesworth, Water & Wastewater project manager, says the fountains will be found in four areas around the city.

“The water stations will be hooked up directly to water hydrants which allows easy access to water 24/7,” says Charlesworth. “During the pilot phase, the stations will be located at Nicholas Sheran Park, Legacy Park, Henderson Lake Park and in Galt Gardens downtown.”

The project cost approximately $15,000 and the stations were designed and manufactured by staff at the City’s Water Treatment Plant.

The pilot program will be reviewed at the end of the summer season and brought back before Council for information later in the year.