Lugano Drinking-Water Fountains

Lugano maintains a network of 86 public drinking-water fountains across the city, managed by the local utility AIL. They fall into distinct categories: tap fountains and continuous-flow fountains, both dispensing water officially rated as of excellent drinking quality, and ornamental fountains, which recirculate their water and are not intended for drinking. AIL publishes an interactive online map plotting all 86 and distinguishing the types with separate icons, so it is possible to identify which are safe to drink from before approaching one, and a companion mobile app offers the same function for use while walking. The fountains are scattered through streets, squares and parks rather than concentrated in one area, which makes refilling a bottle straightforward at no cost while exploring on foot. Municipal tap water in Lugano is more generally considered safe to drink, so the fountains supplement rather than substitute for it.