Manneken Pis no longer peeing water down the drain

For four centuries the celebrated Manneken Pis has embodied the laissez-faire culture of the Belgians. But, to the surprise of officials in the city of Brussels, it has emerged that the bronze statue had been weeing fresh clean drinking water – 1,000 to 2,500 litres of it a day, sufficient for the use of 10 households – directly into the city’s sewers. The discovery was made by Régis Callens, an energy technician, after a meter was installed in the 61cm (24in) statue.
 This week, a channel was constructed to gather the water being discharged by the Manneken Pis to redirect it back to the statue.
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