Question to the Council by Athénaïs Cazalis de Fondouce – Heatwave

Municipal Council – 22 June 2026

This week, the Royal Meteorological Institute forecasts temperatures of up to 37°C in the shade in Etterbeek. This marks the third heatwave since mid-May.

These episodes of extreme heat remind us that climate change is no longer a future concern: it is already having a concrete impact on daily life in our municipality.

During heatwaves, public space must become a genuine tool for protection. It should provide shade, greenery, cool areas and reliable access to drinking water. Yet, essential public facilities such as drinking fountains regularly remain out of service.

Let me give two examples that I observed this weekend.

The water jets on Place Jourdan are no longer working, although they could provide children from the neighbourhood with a place to cool down and play, just as they do on Place Flagey and Place du Châtelain. What was once presented as one of the highlights of the square's redevelopment has now become little more than an illusion. All that remains is a drainage channel, which creates a hazard for people with reduced mobility and for children riding scooters.

A second example concerns what is, to my knowledge, the municipality's only public drinking fountain, located on Place du Rinsdelle. It has been dry for weeks despite being reported to the relevant services. Are we waiting until winter before repairing it?

The result was that the fountain basin in Cinquantenaire Park was almost as crowded this weekend as the Belgian seaside. Many children were happily playing and bathing there, but under safety and hygiene conditions that raise legitimate questions about the choices made by the Municipal Executive.

The police intervened to ask the children to leave the water, but without being able to offer any alternative. Today, no comparable facility exists in Etterbeek.

This leads me to the following questions.

• As access to water becomes an increasingly important public health issue during periods of extreme heat, how many public drinking fountains and water play features are currently operational within the municipality?

I would also point out that there is little point in referring to the Dropl'Ett network. While it is a valuable initiative, it does not provide opportunities for

children to play or cool down outdoors.

• In the short term—and given that Cinquantenaire Park and its cooling areas will be inaccessible to Etterbeek residents this Sunday because of the United States festivities—will the water jets on Place Jourdan and the drinking fountain on Place du Rinsdelle be brought back into service before the weekend?
• Looking ahead, would it not be possible to create a temporary, safe and supervised bathing area in the fountain basin at Cinquantenaire Park?
• More fundamentally, what monitoring and maintenance procedures are in place to ensure that these facilities remain operational during periods when they are most needed?

The Mayor's reply: responsibility was referred to Beliris, in charge of the redevelopment works at Place Jourdan, and to Vivaqua regarding the defective drinking fountain. The response also focused on decisions taken in the past, without announcing any concrete measures for today or for the future.