Vienna’s water is known for its excellent quality. What makes the water supply in Vienna so unique? What does the Vienna High Beam Fountain on Schwarzenbergplatz stand for?
In Vienna, high-spring water from the Alps is delivered directly to the home . The Viennese water comes from Lower Austria and Styria and flows in a natural gradient without pumps to the federal capital, where it arrives about 36 hours later. The water then has approx.. 180 km covered.
Schneeberg, Rax and Schneealpe feed the I. high spring line, Hochschwab the
- The water no longer has to be treated due to strict source protection and flows in part in underground pipes to Vienna. Due to the natural gradient of long distances of 0.22 per thousand, the gravitational energy along the lines is even used to generate electricity and can supply a small town.
After four years of construction, the I Vienna High Springs Pipeline was put into operation on October 24, 1873 , in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph . The high-jet fountain on Schwarzenbergplatz was erected to mark the occasion. It transports about 220 million liters over a distance of about 150 km to Vienna, passing through 30 aqueducts.
The II. Wiener Hochquellen pipeline is fed from the Hochschwab area in Styria and serves to reinforce the I. pipeline. It was built in 1910 and carries about 217 million liters. It measures about 180 km and overcomes altitude differences of 360 meters.
The water tower in Favoriten reminds of the II. Line, as water used to be stored there. Nowadays the water tower serves as a lookout tower and event location. The adjacent water playground is very popular in summer and provides cooling.
Vienna was the first city in the world to place drinking water under constitutional protection.
Time Travel Tip: In every good Viennese coffee house , you will usually automatically be served a glass of Viennese tap water with your coffee .
