Starting signal for the tap water-friendly Römer-Lippe route!

Starting signal for the tap water-friendly Römer-Lippe route!

The start of the project for the “Tap water-friendly Römer-Lippe Route” initiative was announced on June 3, 2025. This ambitious project aims to promote sustainability in the region's cycle tourism and improve access to fresh drinking water. The project is carried out by a tip: tap e.V., a non-profit organization that promotes drinking tap water. In collaboration with the Römer-Lippe-Route project office at Ruhr Tourismus GmbH, publicly accessible drinking water stations are to be built along the long-distance cycle path from Detmold to Xanten.

Financing is provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Just Transition Fund (JTF) in North Rhine-Westphalia for the period 2021-2027 as well as additional state funds. The project will run for 21 months and is scheduled to begin in spring 2025. The aim is to set up refill stations every five kilometers to give both cyclists and residents access to free drinking water.

Sustainable water supply

The initiative builds on the positive experiences of the RuhrtalRadweg, which already operates over 100 drinking water stations. An innovative “water bar” in the form of a cargo bike will be installed next to the stations, which not only provides drinking water but also provides information about the benefits of tap water. Ruhr Tourismus GmbH acts as a network partner and actively involves municipalities and regional water suppliers in the project.

This initiative not only promotes ecological sustainability, but also creates economic and social added value for the region. All actors and interested parties involved are invited to actively participate in the design of the project in order to jointly benefit from the advantages of a sustainable drinking water supply.

The role of the lip

The Römer-Lippe route runs along the longest river in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Lippe. This river has shaped the riparian areas and their residents for centuries and has served in the past as both a flood threat and a central lifeline. It provided important benefits in the form of water supply, food and energy and acted as a transport route. Today there is no longer any risk of flooding, and the Lippe has developed into an important habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna.

The route leads to numerous places where the river and the surrounding nature are particularly protected. There are also various floodplain landscapes and projects that address the topic of “water”, such as:

• Lippeseeumflut bei Paderborn
• Lippeauenprogramm westlich von Lippstadt
• Naturerlebnis Auenland bei Lippetal
• LIFE+ Projekt in Hamm
• 2Stromland in Olfen

These projects, as well as themed information boards, educate visitors about the importance of water along the main route and on the “Water Experience” loops.

For further information and examples of the planned drinking water stations, those interested can visit the website Ruhr Tourism as well as the Römer-Lippe route visit.