THE council is to slash the number of days that fountains and water features stay switched on in a bid to save money.

Worcester City Council’s latest proposed cost-saving measure will be shutting off a fountain in the city’s Cripplegate Park and the water fountains at South Quay next to the River Severn for longer periods during the year.

The move would save around £21,400 a year.

It currently costs around £35,600 a year to run the two fountains, according to the city council, including £28,000 for servicing, maintenance and repairs and a £6,600 electric and water bill.

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The water fountains at the South Quay run on a timer and are switched on between 9am and 7pm for 233 days a year between April and December with the fountain in Cripplegate Park running 24/7 but only for 168 days from April until the end of September.

The city council’s proposal would restrict each fountain to only 100 days a year – cutting the number of combined operating hours from 6,362 to 3,400.

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Both fountains cost more than £200 a day to run with the £30,000 it takes to run the South Quay fountains on 168 days a year costing £178 a day.

The fountain in Cripplegate Park costs around £5,600 to run and maintain which comes at a cost of £24 a day for the 233 days it runs continuously.

The council’s policy and resources committee will be presented with a list of options including shutting both water fountains completely and closing the Cripplegate Park fountain to save the South Quay fountains.

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The council’s officers have recommended that councillors choose to reduce the operating hours at both sites.

Cutting the number of hours the two fountains is a ploy by the city council to bring its operating times in line with the city’s popular splashpad in Gheluvelt Park.

Councillors agreed a month ago to slash the number of days the splashpad opens a year from 166 to 100 – saving around £26,000 year.

The splashpad has usually opened from the Easter school holidays until early September but the new money-saving proposals would see the water play area open from the summer school holidays until the beginning of the new school year.