You’re thirsty and want a drink. But are any Denver water fountains working?

Turns out, some are. Here’s where you can quench your thirst.
3 min. read
A water fountain at Westwood Park. July 6, 2022.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

If you've raced through town in recent years, you've probably found yourself bringing your own water with you, filling up in business bathrooms, or spending precious money on fluids. Water fountains have been in short supply.

And on hot days like the city is seeing this summer, that's a big deal -- for runners, bikers and pedestrians. Unhoused people have a particularly tough time staying hydrated. Transit riders, too.

The last time the full fountain fleet was running was in the summer of 2019...the before times.

"Drinking fountains in our parks were turned off at the end of the summer season in 2019 and weren't turned back on in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic," said Denver Parks and Recreation spokesperson Cynthia Karvaski.

Three years without running water left some of those fountains in bad shape, and many needed repairs.

A water fountain at Westwood Park. July 6, 2022.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Of the 133 drinking fountains in the city, just 82 were currently on as of mid-June. Over 40% of the city's water fountains aren't working -- and some aren't coming back any time soon.

If you want to see every fountain in town -- working and not -- here's your map.

A map of water fountains in Denver parks. <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1lBjFsFmVXO0UrXZxyI7-WhLrI4spph0&usp=sharing">Click here</a> for an interactive version!

Currently, neither  Mestizo-Curtis Park nor Cheesman Park's drinking fountains are operational. Happily, City Park, Washington Park, Civic Center Park and Commons Park all have functional fountains. Ruby Hill Park's drinking fountains are hit or miss, as are Sloan's Lake.

"Twenty-one will remain off this season due to vandalism, not up to code, in an area under construction, or being removed," wrote Karvaski, in an email. "Twenty-eight have a work-order in place for repair."

Here is a full list of the fountains Parks and Rec says are working.

  • 42nd & Lisbon Park Barnum Park Restroom
  • Berkeley Lake
  • Bible Park South Restroom
  • Bonnie Brae Park
  • Central Park West Pavilion
  • Central Park East Pavilion
  • City of Axum Park Restroom
  • City of Cuernavaca Park
  • City of Kunming
  • City of Nairobi Park
  • City of Ulaanbaatar
  • City Park Tennis Restroom
  • City Park Thatcher Fountain
  • City Park Childrens Fountain
  • City Park Pavilion
  • City Park Museum Restroom
  • Civic Center Park
  • Commons Park
  • Congress Park Restroom
  • Cook Park Restroom
  • Crestmoor Park Restroom
  • DeBoer Park
  • Denver Skate Park
  • Downtown Playground
  • Eastmoor Park
  • Fishback Park
  • Flores (Hector M) Park
  • Garfield Lake Park Restroom
  • Garland Park West Restoom
  • Gates Crescent Park
  • Great Lawn Park South of Lake
  • Great Lawn Park North Shelter
  • Great Lawn Park Restroom
  • Green Valley Ranch East South Shelter
  • Green Valley Ranch East Dog Park
  • Green Valley Ranch East North Shelter
  • Greenway Park Tennis Courts
  • Greenway Park Pavilion
  • Hampden Heights Park
  • Hirshorn Park
  • Jackie Robinson Fields Basketball/Tennis Restroom
  • Jackie Robinson Fields Pavilion
  • Jackie Robinson Fields Basketball/Tennis Courts
  • Jacobs Park
  • Jefferson Park Restroom
  • Kennedy Ballfields Restroom/Pressbox
  • Lawson (Sonny) Park Restroom
  • Lawson (Sonny) Park Playground
  • Lindsley Park
  • Lowry Sports Complex Restroom
  • Lowry Sports Complex East Parking
  • Lowry Sports Complex West Parking
  • Manley
  • Montbello Central Park Playground
  • Montbello Central Park Restroom/Pressbox
  • Observatory Park Restroom
  • Observatory Park Ballfield
  • Parkfield Dog Park
  • Parkfield Skate Park
  • Parkfield Shelter
  • Parkfield Restroom
  • Pferdesteller Restroom
  • Pinehurst
  • Prairie Meadows
  • Pulaski Park Restroom
  • Railyard Dog Park East of Shelter
  • Railyard Dog Park West of Shelter
  • Robinson Park Restroom
  • Ruby Hill Park Ballfields Restroom
  • Ruby Hill Park Pavilion
  • Ruby Hill Park Levitt Pavilion
  • Sanchez (Paco) Park
  • Silverman Park Restroom
  • Sloan's Lake Park NW Parking Lot
  • Sloan's Lake Park 2Xst & Stuart
  • Southwest Auto Park
  • Veterans Park Restroom
  • Washington Park Boathouse
  • Washington Park Gardens
  • Washington Park South Tennis
  • Washington Park Diagonal Restroom
  • Westwood Park

So, drink up!

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