{
  "id": 5259579,
  "title": "Seoul unveils 7 new water fountain designs for tumblers, wheelchairs, pets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/seoul-unveils-7-new-water-fountain-designs-for-tumblers-wheelchairs",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T06:07:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20260903/seoul-unveils-7-new-water-fountain-designs-for-tumblers-wheelchairs-pets"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Seoul Metropolitan Government has unveiled seven new water fountain designs aimed at promoting the use of reusable tumblers and making public drinking water more accessible. These fountains are designed to accommodate various needs, including wheelchair users, children, and pet owners. The fountains dispense Seoul's tap water brand, Arisu.\n\nDeveloped through public workshops and collaboration among city departments, the fountain designs incorporate universal design principles to ensure accessibility. Key features include removing floor-level steps, creating open space underneath for wheelchair users and children, safety measures to prevent burns from hot water, and tactile buttons for minimal pressure operation.\n\nThe fountains come in three outdoor types — one for refillable tumblers, an expanded refill version, and a pet-friendly design — and four indoor types, including a smaller version for younger children and one integrated into a wall. A dedicated nozzle holds tumblers in place for quicker refills, and an internal mechanism ensures efficient water flow.",
  "summary": "The Seoul Metropolitan Government has developed seven types of \"Seoul-style water fountains\" designed for refilling personal tumblers, along with features for wheelchair users, children and pet owners, as part of an effort to cut single-use plastic consumption and expand access to public drinking water. The fountains, which dispense Arisu, Seoul's tap water brand, were developed through a process…",
  "key_points": [
    "Seoul unveils seven new water fountain designs",
    "Fountains accommodate wheelchairs, children, pets",
    "Designs promote reusable tumblers and accessible drinking water"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The new water fountain designs unveiled by Seoul promote sustainability and inclusivity by catering to diverse user needs, including accessibility for wheelchair users and space for pet owners.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Seoul unveils 7 new water fountain designs for tumblers, wheelchairs, pets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/seoul-unveils-7-new-water-fountain-designs-for-tumblers-wheelchairs-5261355",
        "published": "2026-09-03T06:17:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}