Jena's second largest water reservoir officially inaugurated

Jena's second largest water reservoir officially inaugurated
Measure from Water Supply Concept 2040 secures supply for decades to come

6.3 million euros invested, 24 months of construction time, 6,000 cubic meters of capacity: following the successful completion of commissioning, the new elevated tank in Rautal was officially opened today. With a volume equivalent to around 50,000 bathtubs, this is Jena's second largest water reservoir. The new facility supplies around 46,500 residents- directly and indirectly via other facilities - primarily in the city center, Jena's north and east, Kunitz and Großlöbichau.

Jürgen Hofmann, Chairman of the Zweckverband JenaWasser: "Drinking water is and will remain the number one foodstuff. Our motivation is to ensure that it comes out of the tap fresh and clean at all times. As a special-purpose association, we invest in the necessary infrastructure with foresight. Just like in this elevated tank, which will secure the supply of clean drinking water in Jena for decades to come." He thanked his colleagues from the construction companies Züblin, BLK, Pumpen Wolf and Prozesstechnik Wölfer for their work and accepted the symbolic key for the new facility.

Lord Mayor Thomas Nitzsche spoke of an important piece in the mosaic for the future viability and attractiveness of Jena thanks to the commissioning: "The elevated tank in Rautal supplies large areas of the city with clean drinking water and is therefore an essential part of the city's public services. When the city grows, the infrastructure must grow with it. Even if it is barely visible once the construction work is complete, it is vital. A stable supply of the valuable resource of drinking water is indispensable. I would like to thank JenaWasser and Stadtwerke Jena for this investment in the future viability of our city."

The construction of the new elevated tank is a central project in the 2040 water supply concept for Jena and the region. With a series of investments, the city's historically evolved drinking water network is being redesigned for the future. The commissioning increased the supply pressure in some parts of Jena by up to 3 bar. As a first step, the Landgrafen elevated tank, which was commissioned in 1899, and the Kunitz elevated tank, which was built in 1911, were decommissioned. Other facilities, including an elevated tank from 1898 at the Ostfriedhof cemetery, are to follow by the end of the year.

The location of the new elevated tank in the middle of the Rautal nature reserve is also reflected in the new façade design: around 160 square meters of exterior façade were designed by the Jena graffiti company Farbgefühl with natural grass and water motifs. The greening as a compensation ensures a high level of biodiversity of the underground structure and optimal integration into the surrounding nature.

Facts and figures

• Start of construction: May 2020 - Commissioning: December 2021 - Connection to the supply network: March 2022
• 322 tons of steel and 1,751 cubic metres of concrete used
• Underground structure with a floor area of 1,371 square meters
• The underground facility consists of two identical water chambers and a valve house for the system control, among other things

JenaWasser special purpose association

JenaWasser is responsible for the water supply and wastewater disposal for around 150,000 inhabitants in 27 towns and municipalities in its association area. Every year, the association supplies around 5.8 million cubic meters of water to its customers. JenaWasser and its operator Stadtwerke Jena operate 43 deep wells, 5 waterworks and 43 elevated tanks; the drinking water network has a length of around 670 kilometers. Every year, JenaWasser invests between 17 and 20 million euros in the renewal, optimization and expansion of its water supply and wastewater disposal facilities.