Care for a drink? – Finding a Water Fountain in Suburban Geneva, Switzerland

One thing I really appreciate about suburban Geneva (and all of Switzerland for that matter) is the accessibility of water fountains. If you're out and about for a walk or ride, need a drink and realize your water bottle is empty (or forgot your water bottle altogether), here you go! Originally used by village inhabitants, they're now a welcome break for thirsty walkers/cyclists. These are the four I pass most often on my daily promenades.

This one (I first wrote about in 2020) is in a older village area very close to me. The buildings here date back to the 1700's. The date on this fountain is 1820. 

Just make sure the sign Eau Potable (drinkable water) is plainly visible. If you don't see that, give it a pass. See the little turquoise metal sign below? That's the kind of thing you're looking for. On this one, the gold sign above says it is forbidden for dogs to swim in it. 

The one below is amongst some fields and not in an urban area. I see the nearest farmer has hooked up a water hose to it. Not quite sure that's allowed, but then I'm not quite sure who's the owner of this one. Maybe it belongs to the farm?

Here's another one from a village area. There are a lot of these types of hamlets scattered around. They were once independent villages before they were incorporated into the big city (Geneva). The date on this one is 1823 (at least I think that's a 3 there).

And lest you think free potable drinking water is a thing of the past, there's this cutting edge Ecopotable model with its new water saving features. You might have noticed the water is always running in these old fountains; that's to keep the water fresh and drinkable. With the new Ecopotable design you push the button and the water flows, release the button and it stops. Voila ! Tout simple ! It has an automatic water renewal system that rinses the pipe up to the neck, keeping the water from stagnating. In the event of malfunction, the system will shut down to prevent anyone from drinking unsafe water. These new fountain types can cut water usage by up to 95%!

These are examples of fountains outside the center of Geneva. If you are in town rest assured you won't go thirsty either. Safe free drinking water abounds and there are some very pretty drinking fountains that will have you snapping off a photo as you sip. Again, just be sure you see the Eau Potable sign before taking a drink. There's even a map to help you find one close by (GE.soif.ch) or you can download an app (Bibulus).

Drink up!