Calls for More Drinking Fountains in Reading

Reading has very few public drinking fountains or refill points, a shortage that was raised at a full council meeting. There are drinking fountains at Reading station, the Reading Borough Council offices, and two at the University of Reading Whiteknights.

While drinking fountains are common across Europe, such facilities are rare in England. London has 111 drinking fountains, highlighting the gap in towns like Reading.

Councillor James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: "The UK has experienced successive record-breaking summers, with 2026 the warmest on record.

"The University of Reading's own research warns that heatwaves will become more frequent and more severe in the coming decades, with Britain potentially reaching 45°C by 2056.

"Without public refill points, residents often rely on single-use plastic bottles - the production and disposal of which contribute to the very carbon emissions driving the climate emergency we are trying to address.

"Free access to drinking water in public spaces is no longer a nice-to-have - it is a public health and climate necessity.

"Reading currently has no public drinking fountains in any of its parks, including Prospect Park, Palmer Park and Forbury Gardens and no dedicated public refill infrastructure in the town centre.

"The Mayor of London partnered with Thames Water on a £5 million programme to install over 100 free drinking water fountains across the capital.

"Critically, Thames Water committed to owning, cleaning and maintaining every fountain for 25 years at no cost to the Mayor or site owners, a commitment designed to address concerns that public fountains fall into disrepair."

Moore noted Thames Water is based in Reading at Clearwater Court and asked whether the council's Public Health Grant could be used to create a similar partnership.

Council leader Liz Terry (Labour, Coley) said: "Following the hottest and driest summer on record, your question highlights both the challenges of climate change and the importance of helping residents adapt to more frequent periods of extreme heat.

"This summer the Council promoted its Cool Spaces initiative, with a dedicated webpage signposting residents to locations across Reading where they could access cool indoor environments, take respite from the heat and access drinking water.

"These locations included Reading Central Library, Rivermead Leisure Centre, Palmer Park Leisure Centre and Whitley Wood Community Centre.

"We continue to encourage residents to carry reusable water bottles and make use of these facilities.

"However, I agree that there is merit in exploring additional public water refill infrastructure across Reading, both from a public health perspective and to help reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

"I can confirm that the council is already in contact with Thames Water to explore the potential for public drinking water fountains or refill points on a similar basis to the model they have supported in London.

"We are awaiting their formal response.

"In addition, Thames Water has been invited to attend the Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee in November, providing an opportunity for members to discuss a range of environmental matters with the company.

"Providing free access to drinking water in public spaces supports our ambitions for a healthier, more sustainable and climate-resilient Reading.

"We will therefore continue to explore opportunities with Thames Water and other partners to bring forward proposals that deliver benefits for residents and visitors alike."

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter