Copenhagen fountains have run dry across the Danish capital after two experienced municipal employees responsible for operating them resigned. Fourteen of the city’s 40 municipal fountains are out of service this summer, leaving several squares and parks without water during periods of hot weather.
The staffing shortage was detailed in a Copenhagen Municipality memorandum dated 25 June. The municipality is recruiting and training two replacements but does not expect all the fountains to return before the beginning of the 2027 season.
Why Copenhagen’s fountains need specialist staff
Operating the fountains is more complicated than simply turning on the water. The installations include pumps, filters, control systems, water-treatment equipment and underground technical rooms, with substantial differences between individual sites.
The work must be carried out by two employees together for safety reasons, as some maintenance takes place underground and assistance may be needed. Every active fountain also requires weekly inspections, including water-quality checks, filter cleaning, chemical dosing and troubleshooting.
According to the municipality, transferring other staff to the service was not immediately possible because employees require lengthy training and detailed knowledge of each installation. The two resignations therefore significantly reduced the operating capacity of the city’s fountain service.
The remaining staff have been assigned to keeping the fountains that are already running in operation.
Fourteen fountains are without water
The affected sites include fountains at Axel Torv, Israels Plads, Mozarts Plads, Gråbrødre Torv and Superkilen, as well as the paddling pool in Valbyparken.
Around half of the 14 installations also require technical repairs. Superkilen is awaiting new pumps, the fountain at Brønshøj Gadekær has a defective pump and the installation at Sankt Jørgens Sø was damaged by ice. Hans Tavsens Park is undergoing reconstruction.
The municipal fountain season normally starts in early April and continues into the autumn. Fountains in the city centre are opened first and closed last, giving central Copenhagen the longest operating season.
Residents want the water back at Mozarts Plads
The dry fountain at Mozarts Plads, which opened only two years ago, has prompted small protest signs reading “Give us the fountain back”, according to TV 2.
The fountain is particularly popular with families in Sydhavnen. Dorthe Eren, chair of the Kongens Enghave Local Committee (Kongens Enghave Lokaludvalg), said residents had contacted the committee because they wanted the water restored, particularly during hot summer days.
She also questioned why the administration had not explained the closure directly to the local committees. The fountain had been presented as an important part of Mozarts Plads during an extensive public consultation on the square’s redevelopment.
Mette Baungaard, an area manager in the Climate, Environment and Technical Administration (Klima-, Miljø- og Teknikforvaltningen), acknowledged the disappointment.
“I understand if Copenhagen residents and the many tourists in the city miss some of the beautiful and cooling fountains during the summer heat,” she said in a written response reported by DR.
The municipality is training replacements
Copenhagen Municipality is recruiting and training two new specialist employees to restore stable operations. Baungaard said the administration hopes to have every fountain ready in good time for the next season.
The case shows how a relatively small staffing change can affect visible parts of Copenhagen’s public spaces. Until the specialised capacity is restored, more than a third of the municipal fountains are expected to remain dry, with water scheduled to return when the new season begins in April 2027.
