Did you know that this charming building before you, the Wasserwerk Trachau, once quenched the thirst of an entire community? It is more than just a pretty facade. It is a testament to Trachau’s ambition.
Let’s step back in time to the late 19th century. Trachau was a growing community. It needed a reliable water source. Before the Wasserwerk Trachau, residents relied on individual wells.
In 1895, the local council decided to build its own waterworks and a sewage system. Construction began in 1898 with the creation of Aachener Straße. This street was originally named Burgsdorffstraße. It honored Curt Ludwig Franz von Burgsdorff. He was the district administrator of Dresden-Neustadt. The street’s name changed in 1902.
The foundation stone for the Wasserwerk Trachau was laid in 1899. On August 3 1900, the waterworks was inaugurated. The district administrator von Craushaar attended. The new waterworks supplied Trachau and parts of Kaditz. On June 11 1901, the first house in Neukaditz received water from the Trachau plant. It was the Friedrich-August-Haus on Leipziger Straße.
The Wasserwerk Trachau drew water from a well. The well was 3.26 meters in diameter and 13 meters deep. A 20-horsepower gas engine powered a pump. It pumped water to a reservoir. The reservoir was in the Jungen Heide. It held 750 cubic meters of water. The pumping station could pump 1440 cubic meters per day.
The building itself is a solid structure built around 1900. It features gabled construction. The facade has red and yellow brickwork. A unique detail is the brick round dormer on the north side. The building’s footprint is approximately 11 by 21 meters. It stands about 8 meters tall. Fritz Mühlberg, an architect from Dresden, designed the original building.
The water quality was tested on August 2. The Chemical Testing Office of the City of Dresden approved the water. They said it was pure and suitable for drinking.
However, the Wasserwerk Trachau’s success was short-lived. After Trachau merged with Dresden in 1903, authorities deemed it uneconomical. Hygienic concerns also arose. In the summer of 1909, the Wasserwerk Trachau ceased operations.
The residents of Trachau and Neukaditz were then supplied with Elbe groundwater. This came from the Hosterwitz waterworks. Hans Erlwein designed it.
Around 1924, the Wasserwerk Trachau was converted into an apartment building. Today, the building is privately owned. It houses apartments. You can even book a holiday apartment here. DREWAG Stadtwerke Dresden operates a pumping station in the basement. It supplies water to the nearby Dresden-Neustadt Hospital.
The Wasserwerk Trachau has been renovated. In 2015, the roof was renovated. Metal shingles replaced the bitumen. They resemble the original slate covering.
The Wasserwerk Trachau even appears in a work by the poet Heinz Czechowski. As you stand here, consider the Wasserwerk Trachau’s journey. From providing essential water to becoming a residential building, it has adapted. It remains a significant landmark in Trachau’s history. The Wasserwerk Trachau is a reminder of the past and a vibrant part of the present.