6 Drinking Water Supply Systems—Evolution Towards Efficiency
199
reservoir were set into operation. Water was transported to town through a 5.5 km
pipe. The total length of water ducts was 42.3 km, while the sewerage network had
24.5 km.
By 1910, Cluj had about 60,000 inhabitants, therefore more and more water was
needed. In 1918, a new intake front (“Green Cap”) was set into operation, 1 km down
the river from the Flore¸ sti source [17].
In 1919, after the Unification of Transylvania and Romania, Cluj passed under
the Romanian administration. The city continued its development on the northern
side of Feleacul Hill, on the Cet˘ a¸ tuia Hill, on Dâmbul Rotund Hill and the left bank
of the Some¸ s River [18].
Between 1924 and 1934, third water capturing area was enabled at the Flore¸ sti
water source, together with a new adduction pipe (centrifugally spun reinforced concrete pipe—Swiss Vianini license, 700 mm diameter), a re-pumping station (Grigorescu Water Works) and a 3000 m
3 water tank [17]. In 1930, Cluj Water and Sewage
Plants (UACC) became a public company. By 1940, the supplied water reached
16,000 m
3 /day for about 110,000 inhabitants and 94 local enterprises, delivered
through 160 km of pipes.
After the Second World War, Romania was trapped in the Soviet Union sphere
of influence. The communist era began, with severe consequences on urban development and water supply: in order to sustain the rapid industrialization strategy of
the government, a large population from rural areas was relocated to the cities. As a
consequence, between 1958 and 1968 the population of Cluj-Napoca increased from
155,000 to 185,000 inhabitants and the city was confronted with a severe lack of
water, despite the supplied volume of 55,000 m
3 /day.
In 1968 strong measures had to be taken, so specialists from the Institute for
Design of Hydrotechnical Constructions in Bucharest concluded that Cluj needs a
new source of water, which should collect and treat the surface water of the Small
Some¸ s River. The construction of this new water treatment station began in 1971 in
Gil˘ au, up to the Some¸ s River, about 16 km from Cluj. The water was taken from
a nearby artificial lake and passed through sieves, settling tanks, quick filters and
finally chlorinated in order to complete the treatment process.
The Gil˘ au water treatment plant (WTP) was inaugurated in 1973 [2] and produced
cheap and good quality water (about 60,000 m
3 /day), which was then transported
to Cluj by gravity, through a pre-compressed reinforced concrete pipe PREMO,
1000 mm diameter.
In 1978, a new Gil˘ au-Cluj adduction pipe (SENTAB type, 1400 mm diameter) was
set into operation [4]. The water distribution network (WDN) was also extended, new
pumping stations and new water tanks were built in order to satisfy the continuous
development of the city. During the last years of the communist regime, Cluj-Napoca
had approximately 330,000 inhabitants [5], the volume of the supplied water reaching
165,000 m
3 /day.
In 1989, the Revolution ended Ceau¸ sescu’s dictatorship and Romania started its
first steps in capitalism. This event was also a milestone in the evolution of WDNs.
199
reservoir were set into operation. Water was transported to town through a 5.5 km
pipe. The total length of water ducts was 42.3 km, while the sewerage network had
24.5 km.
By 1910, Cluj had about 60,000 inhabitants, therefore more and more water was
needed. In 1918, a new intake front (“Green Cap”) was set into operation, 1 km down
the river from the Flore¸ sti source [17].
In 1919, after the Unification of Transylvania and Romania, Cluj passed under
the Romanian administration. The city continued its development on the northern
side of Feleacul Hill, on the Cet˘ a¸ tuia Hill, on Dâmbul Rotund Hill and the left bank
of the Some¸ s River [18].
Between 1924 and 1934, third water capturing area was enabled at the Flore¸ sti
water source, together with a new adduction pipe (centrifugally spun reinforced concrete pipe—Swiss Vianini license, 700 mm diameter), a re-pumping station (Grigorescu Water Works) and a 3000 m
3 water tank [17]. In 1930, Cluj Water and Sewage
Plants (UACC) became a public company. By 1940, the supplied water reached
16,000 m
3 /day for about 110,000 inhabitants and 94 local enterprises, delivered
through 160 km of pipes.
After the Second World War, Romania was trapped in the Soviet Union sphere
of influence. The communist era began, with severe consequences on urban development and water supply: in order to sustain the rapid industrialization strategy of
the government, a large population from rural areas was relocated to the cities. As a
consequence, between 1958 and 1968 the population of Cluj-Napoca increased from
155,000 to 185,000 inhabitants and the city was confronted with a severe lack of
water, despite the supplied volume of 55,000 m
3 /day.
In 1968 strong measures had to be taken, so specialists from the Institute for
Design of Hydrotechnical Constructions in Bucharest concluded that Cluj needs a
new source of water, which should collect and treat the surface water of the Small
Some¸ s River. The construction of this new water treatment station began in 1971 in
Gil˘ au, up to the Some¸ s River, about 16 km from Cluj. The water was taken from
a nearby artificial lake and passed through sieves, settling tanks, quick filters and
finally chlorinated in order to complete the treatment process.
The Gil˘ au water treatment plant (WTP) was inaugurated in 1973 [2] and produced
cheap and good quality water (about 60,000 m
3 /day), which was then transported
to Cluj by gravity, through a pre-compressed reinforced concrete pipe PREMO,
1000 mm diameter.
In 1978, a new Gil˘ au-Cluj adduction pipe (SENTAB type, 1400 mm diameter) was
set into operation [4]. The water distribution network (WDN) was also extended, new
pumping stations and new water tanks were built in order to satisfy the continuous
development of the city. During the last years of the communist regime, Cluj-Napoca
had approximately 330,000 inhabitants [5], the volume of the supplied water reaching
165,000 m
3 /day.
In 1989, the Revolution ended Ceau¸ sescu’s dictatorship and Romania started its
first steps in capitalism. This event was also a milestone in the evolution of WDNs.