Let the Water Flow

How did drinking water first reach the city, and why was the distribution system eventually changed? How was water transported from Trinitat Nova to Trinitat Vella to supply Barcelona with potable water? All of this — in full detail — is explained during the guided visit to Casa de l’Aigua organised by the Barcelona History Museum on 13 and 20 December.

The guided tour takes you through a series of early-20th-century water-supply facilities, built to address Barcelona’s growing urban challenges and social needs. You’ll follow the path of water between Casa de l’Aigua of Trinitat Vella (pictured; photo by Josbel A. Tinoco) and the pumping station that pushed it uphill to the reservoirs in Trinitat Nova. Along the way, you’ll hear about hygienism, municipal infrastructure and the long-standing debates around public management of essential services.

These installations were created by the municipal company Aguas de Moncada between 1915 and 1919, shortly after a typhoid outbreak struck Barcelona in 1914 due to the poor state of the city’s hydraulic conduits.

A rapid overhaul of the drinking-water network was essential: it had to be safer, cleaner, and capable of delivering a larger flow of water to the old city. From Trinitat Vella, water was pumped up to the Trinitat Nova reservoir, where it was chlorinated before being distributed to the historic city centre, including Barceloneta.

The facilities remained in operation until 1989, when they were decommissioned. Between 2007 and 2013, the entire complex was restored and transformed into a heritage site dedicated to explaining Barcelona’s history of water supply.

If you want to learn everything about how Barcelona has managed its drinking water, join Casa de l’Aigua tour offered by the Barcelona History Museum — but make sure to check all the details on the museum’s website beforehand.