Water in parks

We’re all encouraged to get more exercise and, particularly for children, parks can be a great place to get active, whether it’s playing in the playground or kicking a football about. But if children become thirsty, in many parks today there’s nowhere to get fresh drinking water.

Children often have to go thirsty or visit the nearest ice cream van, shop or takeaway where there may be few healthy options available, and lots of tempting but unhealthy drinks and snacks on offer.

With evidence that children sometimes mistake thirst for hunger, lack of drinking water in parks can lead to children consuming calories they don’t need, and otherwise wouldn’t.

A long history
Historically, many of today’s public parks were set up in the nineteenth century to provide local people with a healthy and green respite from inner city life. Often, providing clean drinking water was seen as a key aspect of this service. Today, people have access to safe drinking water in their homes, and fountains in many parks have been removed or not maintained properly.

Drinking water in parks today
In 2009 our supporters surveyed more than 100 parks across the UK, and found that the current provision of drinking water in parks is, at best, inadequate and often completely lacking. Large parks frequently have too few sources of drinking water, so people have to walk long distances for water. You can read the full findings here.

However, there are signs that some decision makers are realising the benefits of providing drinking water in parks and other public places. For example, in May 2010, a new water fountain was unveiled outside St Paul’s Cathedral by the City of London Corporation, with more planned for the borough in 2011. And following a petition to Lambeth Council in south London, the local authority made funding available for the installation and repair of fountains in 20 parks across the borough.

Our campaign
Help us get drinking fountains provided in every public park by joining our campaign. There are a number of ways of getting involved:

Support a local petition
Previously, local supporters of the campaign set up local petitions in Bristol and Lambeth - these have now closed but in Lambeth, the council responded by installing or upgrading 20 fountains around the borough.

If there hasn't yet been a petition to your local council, why not set one up? It’s quick and easy, and we can help you. Click here to get started.

Write to your local council
Ask your council to provide water fountains in your local parks. It only takes a minute using our simple online action, which you can use to email your councillors directly.

Make local news!
If you’d like to do more, why not write to your local newspaper about the need for more drinking fountains? They may agree with you and encourage their readers to support the campaign.