The legend of Bruder Fritschi probably dates back to the victory over the Austrian Supremacy during the Old Zurich War. With the support of guilds from Lucerne they were defeated at the Battle of Ragaz on 6th March 1446 (Fridolinstag). The grave of lansquenet Fritschi is said to be located beneath the fountain on Kapellplatz. Today, the Zunft zu Safran commemorates the fountain every carnival by circling it three times and throwing oranges to the surrounding people.

The private holding company ewl energy water lucerne is under contract to the City of Lucerne and is responsible for the reliable supply of water. The public-private scheme has two particular advantages: for one, maintenance and development is clearly regimented and guarantees sound pipeline networks all the way to the home. Secondly, a balance is struck between the public interest in regulated water prices and the economic efficiency of the company.

ewl owns, services and builds catchments, reservoirs and water pipelines and is obliged to provide first class water quality to every household connection. Its sophisticated system guarantees complete reliability of supply even in the case of a complete failure of any of the water sources (spring water, ground water or lake water). In case of emergency the highest daily consumption from the past 10 years acts as the benchmark for the volume of water.

Lucerne water is distributed across six reservoirs and through a complex pipeline network to the city’s households and fountains. The system is comprised of two different pressure networks and the old well network.

Mains water is distributed across two pressure networks into the households of Lucerne. The high pressure zone obtains water from the Sonnenberg, Littau and Utenberg reservoirs. The low pressure zone obtains water from the Kreuzberg, Zimmeregg and Gütsch reservoirs. This distribution adapts the pipeline pressure necessary to reach the higher neighbourhoods of Lucerne and is, thanks to the efficient use of gravity, very environmentally friendly. Finally, the old well network obtains water from the Kriens source at the foot of Mount Pilatus and provides it to most of the fountains in the old as well as new city. Around 11 billion litres of water flow through this network each year.

Approximately 50% of Lucerne's drinking water comes from the Lake Lucerne. This water has been purified and distributed by the Kreuzbuch water works since 1966. Water from various tributaries is stored in the lake basin for a long time and is subjected to the influences of goings-on in the city and its surroundings. Thanks to strict water protection guidelines, the Lake Lucerne is very clean and already of drinking water quality even without treatment. Nonetheless, equally strict guidelines for tap water demand further treatment in order to eliminate even the smallest of residues.

Ozonation preventively kills germs and bacteria, quartz sand filters larger particles, activated carbon breaks down biologically active substances and chlorine dioxide prevents microbial growth in the network. From the Kreuzbuch reservoir the lake water flows into Lucerne’s households. These processes are relatively energy intensive, however the costly treatment is made up for by the sheer volume of the lake, making it an attractive water source.

For over 600 years spring water from the Pilatus has flowed into the city. A distinction is made between the old Kriens source and the newer Eigenthal source, which has provided the city with water since 1875. The new spring water works at Sonnenberg in Kriens is one of the most modern supply works worldwide. The share of spring water will be increased up to 40 to 50% within the next years.

Spring water goes through a variety of natural cleaning processes. The water flows over gravel and rocks in the mountains and trickles slowly through various layers of soil into the underground. As a result, the water is cleaned and absorbs important minerals such as magnesium or calcium carbonate. Shortly before exiting the soil, the water is collected by drainage pipes and directed into the spring water works.

Spring water shows no micro-impurities caused by civilisation. In addition, the differences in altitude cause a high pressure, lowering the amount of electricity needed for the treatment and distribution of water. This makes spring water the most ecological and inexpensive variant of water collection. Investing in spring water therefore directly benefits the environment and ultimately us. The new spring waterworks located on Sonnenberg with one of the most modern filtration systems worldwide will enable even more spring water to flow into households in Lucerne in the future.

The remaining drinking water is ground water from the valley of the small Emme. Water from this source has been tapped by the city since 1907. Ground water trickles deep into the layers of soil and consequently absorbs many minerals. This has a positive impact on the intensity of flavour. A shaft with small columns is created for the collection of ground water. Water flows through it and is subsequently pumped into a reservoir.

The preventive handling of ground water with ozone is sufficient. This, alongside the already natural cleaning processes taking place while the water seeps through layers of soil, makes the exceptional protection of ground water possible. Any agricultural or industrial businesses and therefore any interference to the water around the ground water works are forbidden.

The development of the modern water supply system of Lucerne arose mid 1870s out of a precarious emergency situation. In the 19th century Lucerne was rapidly developing into a flourishing city for trade and business. The similarly fast growing population, which had quadrupled in the space of a single generation to 32,000 inhabitants, together with the increasing level of production, was overwhelming the urban water supply. This forced the city to develop radical and innovative solutions.

A report from water supply technician Arnold Bürkli from 1872 recorded two decisive aspects for the future: firstly, the public character of the urban water supply was reinforced and secondly, the Eigenthal was identified as the only sensible source area to meet the growing demand.

As a result of this report, the city council decided upon the then very high sum of 1 million Swiss Francs for the founding of the city’s modern water supply. Eventually, the cost rose to 1.75 million Swiss Francs.

Already in 1874, the construction of the Sonnenberg Reservoir and 36 km of pipelines began.

In 1875 Eigenthal spring water flowed into the city’s buildings for the first time. Of the then 16,400 residents around half had safe access to water at home. The rest of of the citizens still had to get their water from partly unsafe wells.

Business was bad in the beginning and was operating at a loss, as the 3 Swiss Francs it cost to supply each room with water only covered a third of what the system cost. What was much more critical, however, was the conceptual shortcomings. The water source proved to be less productive and considerably more temperamental than experts had anticipated.This led to distribution difficulties and particularly precarious water shortages in the winter months.

The city council responded to these troubles with the successive development of the water supply system within the city – especially in the poorer quarters – along with new connections as far as the Entlebuch area. At the turn of the century, around 90% of inhabitants had safe access to water. Nonetheless, water shortages continued to be a problem and the spread of infectious diseases persisted for some time. The first ground waterworks in Emmen came into being in 1907. These structures (wells and ground water works) were continuously expanded in order to keep up with the rising demand of a growing city.

Interestingly, despite regular water shortages, not a drop from the Lake Lucerne was ever drained. Prejudices against using lake water for consumption purposes and the myth of pure mountain spring water were still all too apparent. It was not until the 1960s that people realised that tapping lake water was truly the only sensible solution quantitatively, qualitatively and economically. As a result, the lake waterworks was built in Würzenbach from 1963 to 1966.

At the same time further reservoirs were established in Gütsch, on the Utenberg and in Kreuzbuch. The network of pipelines was designed to run symmetrically along both sides of the River Reuss in order to achieve equal water distribution to all neighbourhoods, as well as to balance water pressure. Incidentally, the Sonnenberg and Utenberg reservoirs are no higher than 585 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l.), as the city council wishes to avoid overbuilding on these hills. In 2001 the city council transferred the responsibility of operating the water supply system to ewl and thus formed the present organisational structure.

The water for Lusaka’s water supply network comes principally from two sources: surface water from the nearby Kafue River and ground water. The water from the Kafue River is treated in a multistaged procedure. Ground water is treated with chlorine, which prevents microbial growth and kills typhoid or cholera bacteria.

The treated water is pumped into high tanks and subsequently distributed through gravitational force across a pipeline network into households and water kiosks in the poor neighbourhoods.

Water kiosks are central water stations connected to a pipeline network, from which residents can obtain clean drinking water at a subsidised price.

Despite good legal and organisational foundations and the water suppliers’ best efforts, the city ofLusaka is far from having comprehensive water supply and waste water disposal systems. Not only are financial means for the necessary development of infrastructure lacking, there are not enough educated personnel in management nor are there enough tradesmen.

In collaboration with the city’s water supply sector and the multi-sector organisation Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), WfW finances and supports drinking water, hygiene and awareness projects in the poorest areas of the city.

One side of this involves the examination of the current situation, going door-to-door for project mobilisation, raising awareness for hygiene and the education of community members; another is the construction of boreholes, pipeline networks, water kiosks and garden connections.

As soon as a new supply network is up and running, the population can obtain drinking water at a subsidised price. Those unable to pay receive free water coupons. Thanks to these measures, the system can finance itself and is maintainable. Since 2013, WfW has given over 90,000 people access to safe drinking water in Zambia alone.

In collaboration with the local trade school Lusaka Vocational Training Centre (LVTC), WfW promotes the education of future plumbers and water operators. This involves helping to finance course fees, as such training positions are expensive and opportunities to study are rare. Furthermore, WfW supports the school in the development of its infrastructure, its teaching materials and the implementation of new technologies.

Another main concern is the connection of important stakeholders in the water sector with the trade school. A local production company of pipes and accessories as well as the urban water supply sector lead weekly workshops at the school.

This is done in order to ensure that the teaching staff are comfortable with the latest technologies and to prepare students specifically for their new career.

The Zambian government has the vision of providing safe drinking water to 100% of the city’s urban areas by 2030. Having said this, safe drinking water is just the beginning. Functional waste water management and adequate basic sanitation are equally influential on the health and quality of life of a society. For this reason, WfW supports partner organisations on location more and more in the planning of future measures in this field.

Since 2018, WfW has also been active in the Mozambican capital Maputo and is strengthening school and community hygiene in structurally disadvantaged urban areas through infrastructure projects. WfW has already implemented comprehensive measures in three primary schools, thereby enabling safe water access and basic sanitation for 6,500 pupils. Learn more about our project work in Mozambique at wfw.ch.