Rethinking Rainwater Use: A Preliminary Study on Sustainable Rainwater Use for a Hot Public Eco Fountain
In Winterthur, public village fountains are transformed into warm bathing spaces during winter. The fountains are filled with drinkable water. A major urban redevelopment project in Winterthur enables a new pilot eco-friendly fountain that is not only permanently heated by district heating but also uses captured rainwater from surrounding surfaces instead of drinking water. This climate-wise solution connects people, saves resources, and reimagines public water infrastructure.
What issue does your project address, and why do you want to tackle it?
Urban areas are often sealed, limiting their ability to manage increasing rainfall. Meanwhile, drinking water is wasted on non-essential uses like public fountains. Our project aims to replace potable water with rainwater for the envisioned permanently heated public fountain to rethink rainwater use. Excess rainwater can later irrigate green spaces or, when suitable, be discharged into nearby rivers to promote a decentralized, climate-resilient water cycle.
What is your project about and how does it make Switzerland water-wise?
The project promotes rainwater reuse based on the sponge city model, paired with a permanently heated public fountain. The study aims to ease pressure on stormwater systems by capturing runoff and reusing it for fountain operation and irrigation. Public infrastructure becomes a climate adaptation tool. These integrated solutions enhance urban resilience to floods and droughts and offer a scalable model for sustainable water use in Winterthur and beyond.
How do you measure your project's success?
● Completed technical and ecological feasibility study
● Verified water quality for safe reuse
● Integration with decentralized drainage and green surface runoff
● Support from city departments and public interest
Who are the people behind the project and what is your secret to a great collaboration?
We are a civic collective combining technical expertise and grassroots action. As a core team of three, we provide expertise in environmental and process engineering and urban studies for the set-up of a permanently heated public fountain. Together we share the experience with temporary heating of public fountains: With open structures, shared responsibility and community energy, we embrace heated fountains, build relationships among citizens and rethink rainwater use as a tool for resilience.
