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HEAT RELIEF
Phoenix launches chilled water fountain pilot program
New stations make their downtown debut in preparation of summer heat
(Photo provided by Mayor Gallego’s office)
A look at the new chilled water station near Phoenix City Hall.
Posted
Special to Independent Newsmedia
A chilled drinking water pilot program is coming to Phoenix ahead of the summer.
Mayor Kate Gallego, the city of Phoenix Office of Innovation, and Downtown Phoenix Inc. on Wednesday announced the program’s launch.
“Expanding public access to drinking water, especially in areas of high pedestrian traffic and public transit, is essential to keeping both our residents and visitors comfortable and safe, particularly in the summer,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “I’m excited to see the results of this data-driven pilot project that further proves Phoenix’s commitment to experimentation and innovation in the face of shared challenges.”
In the coming months, the city will be testing heat mitigation materials and ideas that came in part from Phoenix residents who participated in a city-sponsored “Innovate Phoenix" hackathon event last April, as well as guidance from Bloomberg Associates.
The two new chilled bottle-filling stations are in the heart of downtown, nestled near Phoenix City Hall in the Marvin A. Andrews Plaza and Cesar Chavez Plaza. Comprising two drinking fountains and a custom-designed, state-of-the-art refillable water bottle station, these installations mark a data-driven leap forward in sustainable urban development.
On Tuesday, the city of Phoenix achieved platinum certification for its use of data and evidence from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities, which recognizes local governments for their use of data to inform policy decisions, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and engage residents.