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Published in: Helsingin Sanomat, 21st of July, 2004 |
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- THERE IS FOUR OPERATIONAL WATER TOWERS IN HELSINKI, JUST AS MANY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM SERVICE - THE CITY HASN'T BUILD NEW CONCRETE WATER TOWERS IN 26 YEARS |
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- Two locks open up and a steel door starts to open slowly. The dark water tower greets us in Roihuvuori Helsinki. It echoes well inside as the walls are made out of concrete. The ceiling is the bottom of the tank, some 30 meters above us. Along with the stairs, three pipes are going up. The big pipe connects the tank to the water system of Helsinki. Along with that pipe, the water goes up and comes down depending if the tank is being filled or emptied. The second pipe goes straight to the sewer. It is needed for example when the tank needs to be cleaned. The third and a smallest pipe doesn't lead to the tank at all. It's a rain pipe, channeling the rain water from the top of the water tower to the sewer. - The idea how the water towers work, is an old one. The water is pumped to a tank which is higher than the surroundings, from where the gravity is forcing the water into the pipes of the water system. The tanks are filled mostly during the night, when the usage of the water is very low and electricity is cheap. During the day, the tower adds more capacity to the pumps and keeps a good constant pressure in the pipes. Most of the water in Helsinki comes through the pumps and only a third one is coming through the water towers. - Up in the tank, the wall feels wet, but only because of the difference in temperature. Water doesn't go through concrete. The water tower of Roihuvuori represents the most modern water tower, but it's also quite old, being build in the 1978. During this time the city has grown quite a lot, but the amount of water towers has come down. First the water tower of Vuosaari was shut down in the early part of the 1990's then Lauttasaari water tower was shut down and finally the two tanks of Alppila were closed in the last autumn. The city denies that it would mean, that all of the water towers would be completely closed. There's a good reason for all of the closings. The water tower of Vuosaari had a too small capacity, to make any difference. In Alppila and in Lauttasaari the water towers were located too low and that showed in the water pressure. The empty tank of Lauttasaari looks in the low light an exciting space, but also quite difficult to use again. The unique architecture of the water towers has lead in other countries, to use the water towers as apartments or as office space. Some of these modifications respect the original architecture quite well, when some doesn't respect it at all. - From the abandoned water towers, the Vuosaari was given a demolition verdict, but the rest of the towers might be used again in some other purpose. In the tanks of Alppila water tower, there's an idea to build a hotel and to the Lauttasaari tower a climbing center. The concrete water towers aren't protected in Finland but most likely the protection decision is only a matter of time. A good comparison is the gasometers of Turku and Helsinki which were protected when their technology came old. But are the towers needed in the future? There's a different opinions in the world. The water system of Helsinki could be handled just by using the pumps. It would mean a huge investments and renewing the pipes. Removing the water towers would also mean that the system would be more vulnerable. The Helsinki Water isn't thinking about abandoning the remaining four water towers at the moment, quite the opposite. If Vuosaari area keeps on growing like it's currently doing, it's quite possible that we will build another water tower there to protect a good water supply to the area. OPERATIONAL WATER TOWERS: Ilmala I, build in 1957 Ilmala II, build in 1970 Myllypuro, build in 1965 Roihuvuori, build in 1978 ABANDONED WATER TOWERS: Alppila, build in 1929 Alppila, build in 1938 Lauttasaari, build in 1958 Vuosaari, build in 1964 |
