Kingston will get five new water fountains across the borough thanks to a new project announced by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan today (July 18).

The new water fountains will be installed at five locations across the borough, revealed by the Mayor's office as:

  • Victoria Road
  • Elm Road
  • Old London Road
  • Tolworth Broadway
  • New Malden High Street

The water fountains will join another recently installed in Kingston Town Centre, as the Comet reported back in March.

Several councillors in Kingston praised the addition as welcome news in the fight against single-use plastics in the borough, while pointing out its benefits to the rising number of people experiencing homelessness in the borough.

"Glad to see fruits of Kingston Council (RBK) working with Mayor Of London and Thames Water to get more of this," said Grove Ward Councillor Jon Tolley — who helped campaign to install the town centre water fountain — on Twitter.

"It’s a no-brainier, not only helping rough sleepers, but also reducing single use plastic, good for dog walkers and, well, everyone really," Cllr Tolley said previously of the ongoing campaign to make clean drinking water available to everyone in the borough.

Across London, the project sees Mayor collaborate with private water utility company Thames Water, who will provide the water for fountains.

In total, 50 new water fountains were announced and will be installed across the city, with some such as the fountain outside Kentish Town station (pictured) already up and running.

Mr Khan said that the project would help all Londoners have easier access to clean drinking water and reduce their use of damaging single-use plastics.

"With plastics polluting our oceans and causing untold harm to life in our rivers and waterways, it’s vital that we all make changes to reduce plastic waste," he said.

"Delivering more water fountains in London and ensuring that our shops and cafes offer free tap water is an important part of my work to help Londoners easily make small changes that will have a big environmental impact.

"Our network of water fountains will help people refill on the go and become much-loved additions to our public spaces, stations and busy areas of the capital," London's Labour Mayor added.

A recent report by the Centre for International Environmental Law and partners highlighted how plastic production and incineration adds over 850m metric tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere a year — the equivalent to the annual emissions from 189 coal fired power plants.

In addition to contributing to the rising climate crisis, plastic bottles have a negative effect on the natural environment, particularly marine life, and currently make up 10 per cent of all litter found in the River Thames.

Other influential voices chimed their support for the water fountain scheme, including celebrity Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who said: "More drinking fountains around London is definitely good news for the war on plastics.

"50 of them is a great start, and, let’s hope, the first step towards city-wide free water refills."