Borkum
Water tower and water museum
Before 1900, the islanders still drew their drinking and industrial water directly from individual wells or collected it in the form of rainwater in so-called cisterns, but this was soon no longer sufficient. The island's authorities therefore decided to organize a central and professional water supply in order to meet the increasing demand for clean water due to population and tourism growth. The establishment of the waterworks was accompanied not only by the drilling of new wells and the laying of a network of pipes, but also by the construction of a massive water tower, which helped to ensure sufficient pressure throughout the entire network of pipes.
For more than six decades, the Borkum water tower provided reliable service and played a major role in the smooth supply of drinking water. Over time, however, the number of guests and water consumption continued to increase and ever more hotels, clinics and other new buildings were built. The pressure generated by the water tower was soon no longer sufficient, so the municipal utilities decided to switch to more modern pumping technology. However, this decision also meant the end of the water tower for the time being, which threatened to fall into disrepair in the years that followed.
Committed islanders could not stand by and founded the Watertoorn Börkum e.V. association, which successfully campaigned to save the tower. After extensive renovation and refurbishment, a water museum will soon be built here to give visitors an insight into the multifaceted history of water supply on the North Sea island.
