Simply turn on the faucet and enjoy mountain spring water? That's possible in Vienna. Vienna's water flows from the mountain springs in the Styrian/Lower Austrian Alps, reaching the Austrian capital city 36 hours later in drinking water quality, without pumps and under the strictest regulations. It's not for nothing that Vienna is the best city in the world to live in!

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Vienna can be proud of its tap water. After all, the city is supplied with 400,000 m³ of fresh spring water daily from two mountain spring pipelines from the areas around Schneeberg, Rax, Schneealpe and Hochschwab. A positive side-effect of this is that on its way to Vienna, the water flows through hydroelectric power stations, which generates 65 million kilowatt hours of power, or enough for a small town. Vienna was the first city in the world to place drinking water under constitutional protection.

© Novotny/MA 31

Mist showers and “summer sprinklers” are designed to drive the heat down in the streets. The three-metre-high stainless steel fountains, called a “Brunnhilde”, are located all over the city and spray a cooling mist of water. The mobile drinking fountains are installed at busy locations such as Rathausplatz and Mariahilfer Straße and at major events such as the Danube Island Festival. The water fountains switch on at the touch of a button – the perfect refreshment on hot summer days, from April to September.

© Wiener Wasser / Spacecam und Wiener Wasser / Daniel Novotny

The Vienna Water Tower in Favoriten is a relic from the time of drinking water supply before the second spring was constructed; it's no longer connected to the water network, but it is a striking example of the "industrial historicism" style and is definitely worth a visit.

All around is the water tower water playground, at 15,000 m² the largest water playground in Europe. The unique park landscape offers waterfalls, streams, ponds, bridges and pure relaxation on its extensive lawns. A water adventure path symbolizes and explains the journey of Viennese water from the mountains direct to Vienna!

Excursion tip:

In 1998, the first "Vienna water line hiking path" was opened along the most beautiful parts of the first Vienna spring water route. The hiking path is located just outside of Vienna, can be reached by public transportation such as bus or train, and is also manageable for leisure walkers.

Further information:

www.wienerwasser.at

1st Vienna Water-Line Hiking Path:
www.wien.gv.at/english/environment/watersupply/active/hikingpath.html