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Public drinking fountains, once a common feature of city streets and parks, fell out of favour in many places during the late twentieth century as bottled water became widely available and municipal budgets for public infrastructure tightened. In recent years, however, several city councils have begun reinstalling them, citing both environmental concerns about plastic bottle waste and public health arguments about ensuring free access to water during heatwaves. Newer fountain designs include filtered spouts for refilling bottles alongside traditional drinking spouts, addressing earlier complaints about hygiene that had contributed to their decline. Councils installing the new fountains report that maintenance costs remain a concern, since vandalism and mineral buildup in pipes require more frequent servicing than officials had initially budgeted for.