The Favoriten Water Tower is a landmark of the 10th district of Vienna. This distinctive building of the industrial-historicist style was designed by Franz Borkowitz and is located in Windtenstraße 3.
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| Photo by onkel_wart (thomas lieser) |
After commissioning of the Second Mountain spring water pipeline in 1910, the tower was used only occasionally, for example, when the Mountain Spring Pipeline has to be drained for maintenance or reparation work. By ascending the top of the tower through a spiral ramp running along the inside wall, an impressive view of Vienna can be seen.Today, the Favoriten Water Tower offers an attractive setting for exhibitions and other cultural events and includes a water playground for kids. (Closed from October to May)
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| Photo by DaOarge |
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| Photo by Amin.Mana |
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| Photo by Amin.Mana |
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| Photo by Amin.Mana |
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| Photo by dugspr — Home for Good |
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| Photo by dugspr — Home for Good |
The Pipeline Network
Vienna has the unique situation of obtaining almost all of its drinking water demand from mountain springs. Vienna’s water originates in the lower Austrian-Styrian Alps. The spring zone of the “First Vienna Mountain Spring Pipeline” comprises the mountains Schneeberg, Rax and Schneealpe, while the spring zone of the “Second Vienna Mountain Spring Pipeline” encompasses the Hochschwab Massif. The two spring zones cover more than 600 square kilometers.
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| Map from: http://www.wien.gv.at |
Improvement of water supply
Until the 16th century, the population of Vienna was exclusively supplied by domestic wells. The first documented water pipeline was built around 1553. This so-called "Siebenbrunn Court Water Pipeline" supplied the imperial palace, some other buildings of the city and, much later, one communal well in Margareten Square. It was followed in 1565 by the oldest town pipeline, the "Hernals Water Pipeline", which fed water from today's 17th municipal district of Vienna into a well-house in Hoher Markt square. The construction of several smaller pipelines was insufficient to reduce the frequent water shortages. Until the 18th century, "water-men" and "water-women", who sold water from a barrel, were typical on Vienna's streets - after all, many of the roughly 10,000 domestic wells were contaminated and often caused epidemics.
Until the 16th century, the population of Vienna was exclusively supplied by domestic wells. The first documented water pipeline was built around 1553. This so-called "Siebenbrunn Court Water Pipeline" supplied the imperial palace, some other buildings of the city and, much later, one communal well in Margareten Square. It was followed in 1565 by the oldest town pipeline, the "Hernals Water Pipeline", which fed water from today's 17th municipal district of Vienna into a well-house in Hoher Markt square. The construction of several smaller pipelines was insufficient to reduce the frequent water shortages. Until the 18th century, "water-men" and "water-women", who sold water from a barrel, were typical on Vienna's streets - after all, many of the roughly 10,000 domestic wells were contaminated and often caused epidemics.
In 1804 „ Albertinian Water Pipeline” was the first step towards solution of Vienna’s water supply problems. It led from the village of Hütteldorf to the city and supplied four suburbs with spring water. After that, in 1841 the construction of the „Emperor Ferdinand water pipeline” created the first extensive pipeline network that also permitted transporting water to suburban residential buildings. In 1850 Vienna began to evolve into a metropolis as a result of the incorporation of the suburbs, so the water supply system was extremely inadequate. The only remedy was the construction of the “First Vienna Mountain Spring Pipeline”.
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| Photo by paisteline581 |
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| Photo by swampa |
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| Photo by R.Halfpaap |
In 1864, the Vienna City Council voted the construction of the first Vienna pipeline system from the mountain springs originated in the Rax-Schneeberg area, On the basis of proposals made by the geologist and city council member professor Eduard Suess.
.JPG "Professor Eduard Suess' monument - Schwarzenberg square") |
| Photo by Amin.Mana |
After the construction of about 120 kilometers long pipeline in a period of only three years, the first Vienna mountain spring pipeline was inaugurated on 24 October 1873 by Emperor Francis Joseph I concurrently with the Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain in Schwarzenbergplatz which soon became a symbol of Vienna’s liberation from water shortages and dangers of epidemics. In 1888, over 90 percent of residential buildings situated within Vienna’s territory were connected to the new pipeline.
.JPG "This water pump in Schwarzenberg square started first time with mountain spring water") |
| Photo by Amin.Mana |
.JPG "Our drinking water comes directly and freshly from the Alps !") |
| Photo by Amin.Mana |
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| Photo by bigbear3001 |
.JPG "Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain in Schwarzenbergplatz") |
| Photo by _chris p._ |
.JPG "Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain in Schwarzenbergplatz") |
| Photo by Kamil Rejczyk |
Second Mountain Spring Pipeline
Despite the upgrading of the First Mountain Spring Pipeline in the late 19th century, it became clear that new water resources are needed. After extensive preliminary efforts, works for the “Second Mountain Spring Pipeline” began in 1900. About 10,000 workmen were employed to build the pipeline from the springs in the Hochschwab Massif in Styria to the City of Vienna, a distance of over 180 kilometers. It takes 36 hours for the water to flow through the route and reach consumers in Vienna .
Despite the upgrading of the First Mountain Spring Pipeline in the late 19th century, it became clear that new water resources are needed. After extensive preliminary efforts, works for the “Second Mountain Spring Pipeline” began in 1900. About 10,000 workmen were employed to build the pipeline from the springs in the Hochschwab Massif in Styria to the City of Vienna, a distance of over 180 kilometers. It takes 36 hours for the water to flow through the route and reach consumers in Vienna .
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| Photo by Steindy / Wikipedia |
The spring water reaches Vienna through The pipeline network (which comprises a total length of over 3,000 kilometers) by gravity and without any pumping station on the way. Both spring zones are strictly safeguarded to prevent any contamination of the water. Along the water transport route from the springs to Vienna, the key quality criteria are continuously monitored. At 15 monitoring stations, data on water and air quality are measured and transmitted to a sub control center in Vienna, where they are continuously under control. When conducted into the pipeline network, Vienna’s drinking water (spring water as well as groundwater when needed) is disinfected using chlorine and chlorine dioxide. The “Institute for Environmental Medicine” carries out regular tests, to determine whether the water contains viruses or bacteria and to ensure satisfactory hygienic conditions.
The amounts of water consumption in Vienna today from different sources are as follow:
1st spring water main: 44 %
2nd spring water main: 52 %
Groundwater and surface water: 4 %
Small quantities of surface and Groundwater from the waterworks are being used, only in case of maintenance and repairs of the spring water main, or in extremely high water consumption during summers with hot weather periods.
Additional water is fed into the network from the Lobau well-field. These wells are situated right at the center of the "Danube Floodplains National Park" (German: Nationalpark Donau Auen). If required, it feeds water from the groundwater resources flowing parallel to the Danube into the pipeline network. The second waterworks of Vienna water system is Moosbrunn and has taken into operation since 1998 .
Text Source: wien.gv.at
