First London drinking fountain is a landmark that is easy to miss. On the corner of Holborn Viaduct and Helsport street stands the Church of the Holy sepulchre, and the fence is mounted this is the fountain that marked the beginning of a very important for the health of Londoners campaign.

In the nineteenth century "father Thames" (Londoners imagine the Thames man) is polluted to such an extent that suspiciously brown water is a real stench. The summer of 1858 even entered the history of London as the Great Stink. Illustrative case 1878 the steamer "Princess Alice" – he sank, and most of the 600 passengers to the shore made it, but died, poisoned river water. In the middle of the century in London cholera was raging, and people continued to use water from the Thames. Of course, the real problem was solved by the construction of the sewers, but started to save life drinking fountains.

A private organization under the touching name "Association of the Metropolitan drinking fountain and drinking trough for animals" aims to give people and animals free clean water. At the same time it was an attempt to combat alcohol abuse – for many only alcohol was an alternative to dirty river water. So in 1859 the first fountain set in front of the pub. In the fountain is still there are two metal cups on chains, and catches the eye, the inscription is a reminder: "Bring back the Cup in place".

The building immediately became popular, it was used to 7 thousand people a day, and over the next six years the Association has built 85 fountains for people and livestock. Some remained still, just in Surrey Keyes road, opposite the Park king George's field, you can see a stone drinking trough for cattle (now it is usually used under a bed). Lots of them around Smithfields meat market, where they brought cows and horses from neighboring counties. These drinkers were so important that were published in a special map, showing their location.

Charles Dickens, Jr. wrote in "a Dictionary of London" that one drinker drank 1800 horses a day, and the number of people who have used the fountains on a hot summer day, reached 300 thousand.

When the time came to bottled water, these devices were forgotten. Now, however, the idea of a free drink was revived, and the fountains again placed throughout the city. London mayor Boris Johnson says that London tap water is the best in the world. In addition, environmentally unfriendly plastic bottles.

Johnson is certainly right – the Thames, which in 1957 was declared biologically dead, has been revived and is now considered one of the cleanest Metropolitan rivers. Home to 125 species of fish, a huge number of waterfowl, waders and sea birds, and even seals and otters.