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il i
t
E
M s v r r t
. i
All the lakes mithm the City o f Copenhagen area are artificial ones. This
is due to the effo rts to secure the water supply required fo r the Capital.
Whilst the toum’s drinking water requirements conld, fo r a long time, be
in
et by nieaiis o f melis
,
the need fo r a water course to run one or two watei
miIls became apparent at an early stage. The water o f some m inor brooks
was stored in a reservoir (Peblinge Lak e) from which the water was con-
ducted in ditches into and through the town (fig. page 240). Another brook
called Harrestrupaa was also dammed in and made to form a reservoir
(Damhus Lak e) which discharges through Grøndalen into the brook, Lade-
gaarclscia (fig . page 242).
A f ter the siege o f Copenhagen in 1523, the area o f the artificial lakes was
further increasecl in order to supply the water fo r the moats. I h e dam at
what is now Gyldenløvesgade was strengthened and a new dam (Sorte
damsdæmningen) constructed.
In connection with the fortification works carriecl out by Ring Christian
the Fourth, the water level o f St. Jørgens Lake was regulated (page 244).
Even in the 17th century, the operation o f water-mills was o f importance
to the toum. For this reason, Damhus Lake was regulated, the dam on its
south bank being heightened. A t the same time, from 1618 onwards, this
reservoir became part o f Copenhagen s pump water supply. The. lake was
cleansecl repeatedly, in the course o f time, and was again w idened and
regulated in 1848-49. A fter the re-organisation o f Copenhagen s water supply
in 1856-58, the lake retained its function as the most important water reser
voir o f the town. It was provided with new embanlcments, including a dyke
cutting it into two parts.
O f the many projects put forward, from time to time, to improve the
water supply, the large st ones did not materialize. However, in the 16th
century, Emdrup Lake was utilized fo r the purpose of supplying water to the
three public water fountains as well as to the pump -water system, lncrea -
sing demands on the water supply system caused the construction o f new
pump -water pipelines and a clecining o f »The Lakes«, in 1707 and again in
1725-27. On the last occasion, »The Lak es
«
obtained their presen t regular
shcipe. Peblinge Bridge which dates back to earlier periods was restor ed at
the same time. St. Jørgens Lake was not included in the water supply
system until 1797, whilst L er Lake was alloved to dry up and to disappear
entirely in 1855.
As a result o f continuous complaints about lack o f hygiene in the town s
water supply, caused by the increasing contamination o f the subsoil, new
water works were constructed in 184-7 and taken into operation in 1859.
The new water supply was largely based on artesian wells.
The water consumption o f the Capital has increasecl from 10 gallons per
head and per clciy in 1860 to more thcin 40 gallons per head and per dag in
1939-40. The most rem ote sources o f drinking water supply at L ejre and Vild
bjerg are 25 miles distant from the town centre. Reserves fo r future needs
have been secured by arrangements with land owners necir Arresø.
W a ter from »The Lcikes
«
is now used exclusively fo r industrial or street
washing purposes, or fo r the renewal of the water in the parks, and even
that in clecreasing qucintities. St. Jørgens Lake, however, has retained ci
special function as bu ffer and em ergency reservoir fo r drinking water.
PEBLINGE SØ
ST. JØRGENS SØ
DAMHUSSØ
SUPPLY OF DRINKING-
WA TER
PURIFICATION AND
REGULATION
NEW
WATER WORKS
2 3 8