Outdoor drinking water fountains that automatically monitor their water use and let you know when they need to be cleaned are being installed at three locations in regional South Australia.

The smart water fountains will be installed at Monarto Zoo in the Murraylands, at Port Augusta in the state's Far North and Coonalpyn in the South East.

SA Water's General Manger of Communications and Engagement Anna Jackson says the fountains' water use can be remotely monitored by the relevant council or Zoos SA (in the case of Monarto), generate subsequent cleaning and maintenance schedules, and Port Augusta's and Coonalpyn's also come with a solar lighting system for illumination at night.

"On top of this, they can produce environmental, health and cost saving reports, with information such as how many plastic bottles were saved from landfill by choosing to either take a drink directly or fill up a reusable bottle with water from the fountain," Jackson says. 

Local councils/Zoos SA will be responsible for the installation and ongoing management and maintenance of the fountains in their respective areas. SA Water will conduct annual testing of the water supplied through the fountain.

SA Water plans to roll-out more drinking fountains in other areas of South Australia in the near future.