Vila-real now has a new location where residents and visitors can access free chilled drinking water. Vila-real City Council y Facsa They have put into operation in the Plaza Mayor the first fountain of its kind in the city, coinciding with the start of the patron saint festivities of the Virgin of Grace. The new installation will provide fresh water, at a temperature between 6 and 10 degrees Celsius, in one of the busiest areas in the coming days. The fountain is specifically designed for refilling reusable containers and not for drinking directly from the spout. For drinking, residents can use the conventional drinking fountain located nearby.
The initiative facilitates access to tap water in public spaces, especially during the warmer months, and at the same time promotes the use of reusable bottles and the reduction of single-use plastic packaging. The new fountain was unveiled this morning with the presence of the Councillor for Territory, Emilio M. Obiol; the councillor for Festivals, Miriam Caravaca; the queen of the festivities, Berta Beteta, and his court; the Facsa zone manager, Rafael Ferrer, and the head of service of the water concessionaire, Isaac Dura.
The technical characteristics of the facility and its cooling system require a specific health protocol to guarantee water quality and safety. Prior to commissioning, the established tests and controls were carried out, and once operational, periodic analyses will be maintained to ensure that the required quality parameters are met.
A total of four sources are planned
This is the first of four planned chilled water fountains in Vila-real. The service will soon be expanded with three new locations: the Termet area, the Centre de Congressos square, and the garden area of the Ciutat Esportiva Municipal (CEM). This will gradually bring chilled and filtered water to high-traffic public spaces, sports facilities, and leisure areas. These four fountains will complement the 73 existing public drinking fountains already distributed throughout the municipality. Rafael Ferrer, Facsa's area manager, emphasized the sustainable nature of the initiative, noting that these facilities are designed to facilitate the refilling of reusable containers and reduce the consumption of single-use bottles.
For his part, the Councilor for Territory, Emilio M. Obiol, thanked Facsa for its commitment to this initiative and the support provided to facilitate the installation of these devices. Obiol emphasized the importance of offering useful and accessible services to the public, especially in high-traffic areas like the Plaza Mayor. The commissioning of this first fountain reinforces the commitment of the City Council and Facsa to making tap water more accessible to the city's residents, not only in homes, but also in squares, sports facilities, and leisure areas.
