Editorial photo #13694091 Human Interest

Free Public Water From Historic Iron Fountain

A person draws water from an ornate cast-iron public fountain in Castelmezzano, Basilicata, southern Italy, on February 7, 2026. The fountain is freely accessible, continuously flowing, and maintained by the municipality. In 2011, Italians voted in a referendum against the privatization of water services. With Mediterranean freshwater supplies under growing strain from drought and rising temperatures, public fountains in historic Italian villages highlight the importance of water access. (Photo by Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto)