This is why our water tower is called De Tien Gemeenten

In the skyline of Zoetermeer, the water tower, with its almost 45 meters height, always sticks its head out above the city. A characteristic figurehead for the city, but in the past also an important good in the field of water supply. The water tower is called The Ten Municipalities: why is that the case?

The name De Tien Gemeenten is written in large letters at the front of the water tower on Derde Stationsstraat. There are plaques with place names around the wooden front door, which we also see on the street around the water tower. We live in Zoetermeer after all: what do those place names like Bleiswijk and Wassenaar have to do with us?

Chic water for our environment

The water tower has been decommissioned since the early 1990s, but in 1921 Zoetermeer, Zegwaard and surrounding municipalities made plans for a new water pipe from the Wassenaar dunes. The water tower was built in 1927 after a design by architect AH Wegerif in collaboration with Delft professor C. Visser and municipal architect AH Goldberg.

Press the kettle

In order to get the water from the dunes to the ten municipalities, such as Berkel, Pijnacker, Zoetermeer and Bleiswijk, pressure had to be put on the pipeline. Water tower De Tien Gemeenten was used for this purpose. A reservoir of reinforced concrete with space for 500,000 liters of water was placed at a great height. At night the tank was pumped full and during the day it emptied.

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All municipalities in a row

The Drinking Water Supply Foundation De Tien Gemeenten eventually consisted of thirteen municipalities, namely Zoetermeer, Zegwaard, Wassenaar, Stompwijk, Benthuizen, Moerkapelle, Zevenhuizen, Bleiswijk, Bergschenhoek, Berkel, Pijnacker, Nootdorp and Veur. The coats of arms of the municipalities adorn the entrance, together with the coat of arms of Wassenaar. The stones were made by sculptor Pieter Puype from Apeldoorn.

The water tower is a municipal monument and it can sometimes be visited, for example during Heritage Day. The Ten Municipalities has been sold to Zoetermeer entrepreneur Van Dorp who most likely wants to turn it into a bed and breakfast.

Source: Zoetermeer architecture point, Zoetermeer my city

Also spotted a mystery?

Another mystery solved! Do you also have a question about Zoetermeer? Maybe you are curious about the meaning of a certain street or why there is a huge logo of our stand in a meadow. indebuurt is looking into it! Mail your mystery to [email protected].