General French News | Sparkling water fountain set to open in Paris park

A new water fountain in Paris is set to become the first in France to provide passers-by with fresh, fizzy water.

The new fountain goes by the name of La Petillante, which literally translates as 'she who sparkles.' It has been installed in the Jardin de Reuilly in the south-east of Paris, and will open to the public on Tuesday.

According to French news source RFI, the fountain is connected to Paris's public water system and will deliver cool, sparkling water directly from the tap free of charge.

An old hut in the park has been converted to house La Pétillante, with a special cooling system ensuring that water comes out of the tap at a temperature of around 7°C.

Britons who enjoy regular French holidays will have noticed that French people consume large amounts of bottled water, and the new fountain is an attempt to encourage Parisians to drink more tap water.

The Guardian reports that France is the eighth biggest consumer of bottled water in the world, and that the country is understood to have produced around 262,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2009.

It is hoped that La Pétillante will improve the image of tap water in the French capital, and water supplier Eau de Paris says that similar fountains could be installed around the city if the scheme proves to be a success.

'This is a first, so we're going to watch how Parisians react and whether there's an uptake. Then we might gradually install others in the busiest parks,' The Guardian quoted Eau de Paris's Philippe Burguiere as saying.

Author: J.Jeffries
Posted: 27/09/2010