Author: Jens U. Schmidt, Günther Bosch

Elevated water tanks, as important structures in a modern water supply system, not only balance fluctuations in demand but also ensure a defined and largely constant water pressure at the taps in the supply area. Where the topography of the terrain precludes the construction of a water tank at a high elevation, water towers take over this function. Water towers not only serve the public but are also integral parts of industrial facilities.

Water towers are the passion of our member Jens U. Schmidt, who, together with his co-author Günther Bosch, is publishing a series of books about water towers in Germany. The book “Water Towers in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland” has just been published in this series. On a total of 264 pages, Jens U. Schmidt and Günther Bosch present water towers in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

A total of 240 water towers existed or still exist in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. The various designs and uses of the water towers are described. Water towers were particularly common in mining and spa facilities; in addition to water supplies, many were found in industry, on the railways, in slaughterhouses, in the military, and at public swimming pools.

This book series has so far included documentation from the following federal states and regions: Bavaria, Bremen and Hamburg, Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, Northwestern, Schleswig-Holstein, and Bavaria. A documentation for Saxony is currently in preparation. Further details can be found on the German Water Tower Archive website.