For the first time since the open-tap fountains were introduced in 1874, city officials plan to turn them off in an attempt to save water

A stifling heatwave has left Romans more grateful than ever for their 2,800 drinking fountains.

For the first time since the open-tap fountains were introduced in 1874, however, and just as residents and tourists need them most, city officials plan to turn them off.

“Plans are still being made, but if we shut them off, we can save 1 per cent of Rome’s water supply, which is unfortunately essential during [this] drought,” an official said. A water company supplies the city with 17,300 litres of water a second.

The bollard-shaped fountains, which are 4ft high and made of cast iron, have a curved spout from which water constantly pours. Thanks to the spout, Romans refer to the fountains as nasoni, or big noses. The