O vodoopskrbnom sustavu Zagreba od izgradnje 1878. do Drugog svjetskog rata
The Water Supply System of Zagreb from Its Construction in 1878 to the Second World War

Summary/Abstract: The rapid development and the population growth of the city of Zagreb, which began in the mid-nineteenth century with the establishment of a unified administrative and territorial center, continued into the interwar period. Alongside this expansion, though somewhat lagging behind, the city’s communal infrastructure evolved as well - notably the water supply system and the provision of drinking water to the urban population. This paper examines the hygienic and public health conditions in Zagreb, the investments made, and the attention paid by the municipal authorities to urban infrastructure, with particular emphasis on the water supply system. Special focus is given to the early 1930s’ plans for exploiting groundwater within the Botanical Garden as a temporary measure to increase water supply capacity pending the construction of a new water source in Mala Mlaka. Drawing upon an analysis of existing literature and original archival materials, the study traces the expansion of Zagreb’s water supply network. In response to the growing demand for potable water and the limited capacity of the protected zone of the city’s original pumping station near Zagorska Street, extensive efforts were undertaken during the interwar period to identify a new site suitable for the development of a water source. Such a site was to ensure adequate water reserves and meet other technical and environmental conditions necessary to prevent contamination. As the implementation of a comprehensive, permanent solution represented both a significant technical challenge and a considerable financial burden, interim measures were adopted. One such provisional measure was the establishment of a water pumping station near Branimirova Street, which lacked a protective zone and was located only a few meters from the city’s main drainage canal. In 1933, another temporary pumping station, located within the Botanical Garden, was connected to the Zagreb municipal water supply network.

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