Drinking fountain map of Venice encourages sustainable tourism

The community hopes to combat plastic waste by making it easy to refill bottles

Spotted: There is a now a new way to stay hydrated when visiting Venice’s historic streets and waterways. Visitors to the island can use a map and an app to find a fountain of fresh water near their location. Each fountain is unique and provides a glorious mix of design and location. The map encourages people to carry their own personal water bottles and forego the disposable plastic versions whenever possible.

The Venice Tap Water website lists all currently available fountains within the city and on the surrounding islands. There are nearly 200 listed, making it often only a matter of a few steps to find safe drinking water. Water distribution company Veritas provides detailed water quality information for the area, alongside a map of public restrooms in the city.

As one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, Venice, like many other top sites, is struggling to find the right balance between preservation of the city and showcasing the beauty that makes it famous. From January 2023, the city will impose a tourist tax that requires visitors to book entry to the island and pay a fee ranging from €3 to €10.

Other innovations spotted by Springwise that are helping to improve the sustainability of global tourism include a satellite-powered platform that lists local ecosystem information and an eco-luxury hotel focused on minimising its carbon footprint.