Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Green light to tender the new maintenance contract for drinking fountains, natural springs and ornamental fountains, worth 24 million euros in total. The Commission for Ecology, Urban Planning, Infrastructures and Mobility has approved the new maintenance contract for Barcelona’s 1,718 drinking fountains, 324 ornamental fountains and 7 natural springs, as well as necessary improvements, to include sustainability criteria.

The new contract for 2022-2026 includes sustainable public procurement measures, anticipates the subrogation of the current 76 workers and equips the service with more environmentally sustainable vehicles.

The goal is to guarantee that all springs and fountains in the city work efficiently, their technical and regulatory maintenance, the conservation, cleaning and review of electrical installations, mechanical and hydraulic systems and lighting, as well as the control of water quality. The contract includes an emergency support service which will operate around the clock, 365 days a year, to deal with any immediate needs which arise.

More sustainable drinking fountains and ornamental fountains

Drinking fountains constitute a basic service for the public, while ornamental fountains represent infrastructures with huge cultural and historic value, in many cases iconic symbols for the city’s artistic heritage. These are elements linked to water, a scarce natural resource, and so the contract includes the sustainability goals set out in different municipal action programmes.

In terms of ornamental fountains, measures which continue to be applied include water recirculation systems, improvements to management, control and sustainability, the inclusion of groundwater in the network to reduce the consumption of drinking water and the replacement of current lighting with LED lights, also to cut consumption.