Suddenly, drinking water is everywhere. The little suites of spigots on wheels are stationed outside of transit hubs, watch parties, brand activations. Should you not have your own reusable bottle, most are equipped with compostable paper cups. I've designed my own drinking game around them: the only rule is that if I see one, I've got to stop and put down at least a few dozen gulps.
Over the last three weeks, I've supped from mobile hydration stations supplied by LADWP, LA County's Department of Public Health, LA County Public Works, and even some private-label hydration trailers that felt so fancy I thought they were about to pour me a nice pilsner. But no, it's just water. Municipal water. And this is my ode to public H₂O.
The hydration stations have been a highlight for me because they symbolize an in-reach public amenity win. Water flowing freely from the sidewalk is a visible, visceral reminder of a system that's working for you. My obsession with public bathrooms — which are also necessary, and also a bit more available right now — is well-documented, but it's slightly more complicated to situate and service a toilet (although Metro's Throne trailer units are getting the job done). On the other hand, opportunities to tap into our water system are found literally on every block, and it really wouldn't be that hard to distribute hydration stations across the region in a thoughtful way. If that was a priority.
Seeing the water flow from every corner of this city almost makes you wonder if we might dispense with the temporary taps and get some more permanent units installed before we do this whole thing again — but with way, way more thirsty people in town.
That's exactly what WeTap founder Evelyn Wendel has been trying to do: install 2028 public, permanent hydration stations in the city of LA by 2028. The Olympic and Paralympic Games might provide a tidy deadline, but it's more about LA's civic obligation. "We have to provide basic necessities," she says. "Water is a fundamental human right. And with that comes a big responsibility."
Wendel has been working on this goal for almost two decades; we bonded a decade ago over our mutual hatred of the $50 billion bottled water industry. So far she's got 200 new hydration stations in the ground.
Here are two of them, outside the LADWP building on Bunker Hill.
Come on, does that really look so difficult for the city to install? (Don't answer that.)
Wendel is closer to her goal than it sounds. There are 1,200 public fountains at LA's city parks, she says, which technically do count, although most of them need to be repaired or replaced. But the plumbing exists, which makes these less of a major capital expenditure and more of a maintenance issue, although Torched readers know that's just as big of a challenge for LA's park system. And the fact that one-third of all Angelenos can't walk to a park makes more creative drinking water access even more important. I challenge you to find the closest public fountain to your home. (And while you're at it, try to locate a public bathroom as well). When temperatures skyrocket again, city officials will share the Cool Spots map, but LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia's map of public fountains and bathrooms is better and more useful. But this is exactly why Wendel created the WeTap app, which is also a place she envisions Angelenos will soon be able to request new drinking fountains to fill in those "hydration deserts."
Wendel is happy to see the mobile hydration stations for major events — but it's not a solution. "It's really great to see these included as part of the inventory," she says. "But they need to be outdoor permanent units so the legacy of improving water access isn’t just here comes the World Cup. Heat mitigation is a real thing and it’s not going away."
And like bathrooms, hydration stations will always be hauled out for major events, but they're more likely to vanish when people dare to use them to survive.
Last month's deadly heat dome in Europe has been linked to 1,300 confirmed deaths but it may have killed over 20,000 people, according to one preliminary attribution study. While European cities grapple with bigger infrastructural cooling challenges, they have famously prioritized public drinking fountains; in Paris, as I wrote earlier this year, the city installed 435 new public toilets that have bottle-refilling spigots on the outside of every single unit. Another heat dome is currently bearing down on the Eastern U.S.; as we turn 250 over half the country’s population will be facing some kind of extreme heat risk. I highly recommend watching New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani explain all the city is doing to prepare, including the deployment of "cool vans" as mobile cooling and hydration centers. (Gah, they have COOL VANS now? WHERE'S OURS?) Just having resources like hydration stations highly visible and strategically positioned in a city's most vulnerable communities, in the same way we think about targeting shade and air conditioning interventions, could go a long way towards preventing heat illness.
With so many people out and about, LA's National Weather Service forecasters have been factoring in the World Cup when warning about heat-related risks. Last week's heat advisory was issued when temperatures were just 3 to 8 degrees above normal: "Admittedly under normal conditions, these temperatures would be marginal for any heat products. However given the current influx of visitors and numerous outdoor events across the county, there is a higher risk and vulnerability." Admittedly we had a lot going on last week, but did you hear that messaging being passed down from officials? Just before the World Cup began, LA Mayor Karen Bass fired her heat officer, Marta Segura, the one person in her administration who was laser-focused on this issue. There hasn't been an announcement to replace her yet. The heat is on. 🔥
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All Torched's World Cup coverage
Alissa Walker
Alissa Walker
Alissa Walker
Alissa Walker
Alissa Walker
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