From the Blue Community / Blue City of Hamburg, Germany:
As summer arrives and temperatures rise, demand for freely accessible drinking water in Hamburg’s districts is also increasing. However, according to CDU politician André Trepoll, the supply of public drinking water stations is inadequate, particularly in the Harburg district. The Süderelbe representative has criticised the current facilities as ‘unacceptable’ and called for a fundamental change in the city’s drinking water policy.
Six fountains for 180,000 people is insufficient, he says, criticising the Green-led environmental authority.
Environment Senator Katharina Fegebank recently announced that there are currently 54 public drinking water fountains in operation throughout Hamburg, 44 of which are located near public toilets. This placement has been widely rejected as uninviting and unuser-friendly. The distribution is also problematic: there are only six drinking water dispensers in the Harburg district. Extrapolating this to the district’s approximately 180,000 inhabitants means that around 30,000 people have to share one of these sources – not counting tourists, commuters and visitors.
CDU politician André Trepoll has described it as a ‘drop in the ocean’. The Harburg MP has expressed his disappointment with the Green Party’s track record, given that they have been running the environmental authority for ten years. “Hamburg is a city on the water, yet for many people, public access to drinking water remains a distant prospect. That is the bitter reality of summer 2025,” he says.
Calling for a change of course in the supply of drinking water
In view of climate change and increasing heatwaves, the CDU is calling for a comprehensive network of public drinking water points to be established in all districts. This is not only a question of urban public services, but also of social justice and healthcare. “Anyone who takes climate change seriously must also draw the necessary conclusions and take action,” emphasises Trepoll.
The demand is clear: Hamburg should be seen as a modern metropolis where access to clean drinking water in public spaces is standard. This includes significantly expanding the drinking water network, particularly in the southern part of the city. The CDU considers this to be a key task for the future, essential for ensuring the city’s long-term quality of life.
