Wasserwerk Am Staad

Hidden in Düsseldorf’s northern reaches lies a giant. The Wasserwerk Am Staad isn’t a mythical creature. It’s a vital piece of Düsseldorf’s history. It’s the third of four waterworks in the city. This waterworks quietly quenches the thirst of thousands. It has seen the city grow and change. The Wasserwerk Am Staad began its life between 1928 and 1931. The older Flehe waterworks had reached its limit. It couldn’t keep up with Düsseldorf’s water needs, especially during low water levels in the Rhine. The location, nestled between Schnellenburg and the old northern border, was carefully chosen. Extensive hydrological studies showed excellent water quality. The water-bearing layers there are up to 24 meters thick. The site was also conveniently located for distribution. Along a 500-meter stretch of the Rhine, 25 filter pipe wells were sunk. They could produce 65,000 cubic meters of water daily. Two 360-horsepower electric centrifugal pumps kept the water flowing. The construction cost 5.3 million marks. They used a new construction method. It was the chemical petrification process, used for the first time in Germany. This method ensured consistent water extraction. This held true even when the groundwater level dropped. This innovative approach also meant fewer wells were needed. Older techniques would have required 60 wells for the same output. By Pentecost 1931, the first liters of drinking water flowed from this peak demand facility. In 1929, Kaiserswerth was incorporated into Düsseldorf. This led to the Wasserwerk Am Staad supplying water to Kaiserswerth via a 300mm pipeline starting in 1933. The old Kaiserswerth waterworks became redundant. The Second World War brought devastation. The Wasserwerk Am Staad suffered significant damage. The pump house was largely destroyed. A direct hit rendered the machinery unusable. The switching station was almost completely destroyed. The drainage pumps failed, flooding the pump shaft. The access and ventilation structures for the siphon pipe canal were completely destroyed. The siphon pipe itself was ruptured by explosion pressure waves. It leaked in many places. Even the provisional electrical switching station of the emergency waterworks was hit. The Wasserwerk Am Staad was forced to cease operations. By the end of 1945, the machine house and switch house were fully restored. The Wasserwerk Am Staad was back in operation. Today, Pumpwerk 1 consists of 20 vertical wells. They are connected by a siphon pipeline. Pumpwerk 2 came online in 1954, followed by Pumpwerk 3 and 4 in 1960 and 1969. These pump works are all designed as horizontal filter wells. By 1973, five more wells were added. Today, the Wasserwerk Am Staad boasts a total of 10 pumps. The Wasserwerk Am Staad continues to evolve. It stands as a testament to Düsseldorf’s ingenuity and resilience. It’s a hidden giant. It silently ensures that clean, fresh water flows to the city’s taps.