Drinking Water Fountains on Spiekeroog: How the North Sea Island is Expanding its Drinking Water Infrastructure

Spiekeroog is committed to public drinking water fountains

Spiekeroog is an island where sustainability, nature experiences, and public infrastructure are closely intertwined. Anyone exploring on foot, with children, on the beach, at the campsite, or around the dunes needs easy access to drinking water. That's precisely why the island has been continuously expanding its public drinking water infrastructure for years.

Public drinking water fountains are more than just a service. They help avoid single-use bottles, make drinking water visible in public spaces, and provide free, easily accessible supply for both visitors and locals. Especially on an island where routes, transport, supply, and weather conditions pose particular challenges, a robust solution is crucial.

A particularly illustrative example is the new drinking water fountain at the playground in the dunes. There, today, stands the model Bach by myBach - directly in the sand, next to playground equipment, dune vegetation, and a highly frequented area for families.

The New Location: Drinking Water Right at the Playground in the Dunes

The photo clearly shows why this location makes sense. The drinking water fountain isn't hidden away somewhere, but rather where people actually need it: at the playground, in close proximity to swings, slides, wooden play equipment, and sandy terrain.

For families with children, such a location is ideal. Children play, run, climb, and usually only drink when water is readily available. Parents, grandparents, cyclists, walkers, and visitors to the nearby recreation area also benefit from being able to quickly refill their bottles or drink water directly.

The drinking water fountain is deliberately not placed in a sterile indoor area, but right in the outdoor environment. This is precisely where the real demands arise: sand, wind, humidity, salty air, heavy use, changing weather, and the need for the device to function reliably even without constant supervision.

Why Public Drinking Water Fountains Are Particularly Important for Islands

On a North Sea island, drinking water in public spaces is particularly valuable. Visitors spend a lot of time outdoors. Families spend long periods on the beach, at playgrounds, or in the dunes. At the same time, an island like Spiekeroog wants to avoid single-use bottles being bought, transported, and disposed of everywhere.

A public drinking water fountain therefore supports several goals simultaneously:

• free access to drinking water for visitors and locals
• less single-use plastic and less packaging waste
• improved supply in highly frequented areas
• visible contribution to sustainability and climate protection
• enhanced quality of public spaces for families, children, and seniors
• convenient infrastructure for playgrounds, campsites, beach access points, and public spaces

Locations such as playgrounds are particularly well-suited. The demand there is high, their use is intuitive, and the benefits are immediately visible.

From concept to implementation: Planning on Spiekeroog

The project's history shows that public drinking fountains are not simply ordered and installed. They are small infrastructure projects where location, model, usage, budget, delivery, installation, water quality, and operation must all be considered holistically.

On Spiekeroog, the topic of drinking fountains was already relevant even before the current Bach project. There were existing public drinking water points, some wall-mounted and others from different product lines or manufacturers. While these earlier installations were fundamentally important for the island, their operation consistently required coordination.

Typical issues included determining which model was truly suitable for each specific location. This is a crucial point, especially on an island: if a component is missing or a device doesn't function reliably, procurement is more complex than on the mainland. Every unnecessary delay incurs time, coordination, and organizational effort.

These experiences led to the desire for a solution that would be better suited for long-term public use on Spiekeroog.

Why the Bach by myBach is the right solution for Spiekeroog

The Bach model by myBach was chosen as a robust and modern solution for the new playground location. The Bach is designed as a public drinking fountain for outdoor sites and perfectly meets Spiekeroog's requirements for a drinking fountain in public spaces.

Key considerations include:

• robust construction for outdoor use
• highly visible, free-standing installation
• clearly identifiable as a drinking fountain
• use in high-traffic areas
• suitability for playgrounds, public squares, and tourist areas
• optional customization
• bottle-filling capability
• easy integration into municipal infrastructure
• long-term planning certainty for operators
• App-based hygiene monitoring

The new drinking fountain is not located against a facade, but stands freely in the outdoor space. This makes it immediately visible, easily accessible, and intuitive to use. Especially at a playground, this is a big advantage: children and families immediately recognize where water is available.

Visibility is crucial

A public drinking fountain can only be effective if it is seen and used. The Bach at the playground in the dune fulfills exactly this purpose. It stands clearly visible in the sand, in close proximity to the play area, thus becoming part of the location.

The vertical 'Drinking Water' inscription immediately clarifies the device's purpose. This is particularly important in tourist locations where many people are unfamiliar with the area. Visitors to Spiekeroog don't have to search or ask. The drinking fountain is self-explanatory.

Thus, the location meets two central requirements: high likelihood of use and clear orientation.

A project with challenges

The Spiekeroog case study also shows that such projects rarely run completely smoothly. Before final implementation, various models had to be compared, prices checked, special requests coordinated, and technical details clarified.

Particularly relevant questions included:

• Which model is suitable for the specific outdoor location?
• Should the drinking fountain be usable seasonally or year-round?
• Is a special color advisable?
• How will bottle filling be handled?
• What is a realistic delivery time?
• Which additional options are necessary?
• How can the project be implemented cost-effectively?
• How is water quality tested?
• Which existing drinking fountains need continued maintenance?

Such questions are typical for municipal drinking water projects. They show that it's not just the purchase price that matters. What's crucial is whether the device fits the location, the operator, and the operational processes in the long term.

From previous issues to a clear standard

Before the new Bach project, Spiekeroog already had drinking water fountains from other providers. Some of these were wall-mounted. While these devices generally served their purpose, their operation consistently required coordination efforts. Spare parts, unfavorable price developments, and technical inquiries were recurring issues.

This is particularly problematic for an island. If a drinking water fountain breaks down or a spare part isn't quickly available, the solution isn't always immediately on-site. Therefore, it makes sense to establish a clear standard in the long term.

The Bach from myBach offers a new approach here: a freestanding, modern drinking water fountain, produced in Germany, developed for public outdoor locations, and suitable as a standard solution for future projects. This allows planning, procurement, installation, and operation to proceed much more systematically.

Installation in Sand: Special Site Requirements

The location at the playground in the dune is visually very attractive, but technically demanding. A drinking water fountain in sand must stand stably, have a solid foundation, and be reliably connected to the water infrastructure. At the same time, the unit must be positioned to be easily accessible without disrupting playground activities.

The Bach blends in discreetly yet visibly with its surroundings. Its grey surface complements the rugged coastal atmosphere, while its clear form ensures that the device is recognized as a drinking water fountain even from a distance.

Especially in combination with the playground, a harmonious picture emerges: natural dune landscape, wooden play equipment, sandy ground, and a modern drinking water station that functionally enhances the location.

Drinking Water Fountains as Part of Sustainable Tourism Infrastructure

Spiekeroog demonstrates how public drinking water fountains fit into a sustainable tourism strategy. Many guests today expect to be able to refill their water bottles on the go. At the same time, municipalities and tourist destinations want to implement visible measures against single-use plastic and for greater climate adaptation.

A drinking water fountain meets these expectations in a simple way. It is visible, practical, and easy to understand. Everyone immediately understands its benefit: Drinking water is available here.

For Spiekeroog, this means:

• improved provision in public places
• reduced reliance on single-use bottles
• greater comfort for families and guests
• strengthening the island's sustainable image
• practical infrastructure at heavily used locations
• a long-term contribution to the quality of stay

What other islands and municipalities can learn from Spiekeroog

The Spiekeroog case study highlights several important points that are also relevant for other islands, cities, and tourist destinations.

Firstly: The location determines success. A drinking water fountain should be placed where people need it. Playgrounds, beach access points, campsites, sports facilities, and central squares are particularly suitable.

Secondly: Previous experiences should influence the choice of model. If existing drinking fountains regularly cause issues with spare parts, cartridges, or maintenance, it's worth switching to a solution that's better planned for the long term – like the Bach.

Thirdly: The operator should not only consider the purchase price. Delivery time, operational reliability, maintenance, availability of spare parts, visibility, ease of use, and suitability for the location are at least as important. But here too, the Bach scores points: an entry-level price that is affordable for every municipality.

Fourthly: A clear product standard facilitates subsequent projects. If a municipality or operator wants to run several drinking water fountains, it makes sense not to start from scratch every time. A proven model simplifies tendering, procurement, spare parts, maintenance, and documentation.

In short: Spiekeroog makes drinking water visible

With the Bach from myBach at the playground in the dunes, Spiekeroog sets a strong example for modern public drinking water infrastructure. The drinking fountain is located exactly where it's needed: in a lively, family-friendly spot, right in the public space, and clearly visible to guests and locals.

The project history shows that successful drinking fountain projects are not just about placing an order. They arise from experience, planning, coordination, and the right model choice. Spiekeroog recognized early on that public drinking water points are important for a sustainable island. With the Bach from myBach, a solution has now been installed that better meets today's requirements: robust, visible, freestanding, and sensible in the long term.

For other municipalities, islands, spa administrations, and tourist destinations, Spiekeroog is a good example: Anyone who takes public drinking water seriously should carefully choose the location and opt for a model that not only works today but can also be reliably operated in the coming years. For this, only the Bach.