It may not be the tallest, but it was the very first to be created! At 140 metres high, Geneva's Jet d'Eau fascinates tourists and reassures locals: it cannot be turned on in very cold or windy weather. It is therefore essential to be extremely vigilant in order to turn off the big spigot in time to avoid breakage. Five machinists, all retired from SIG (Services Industriels de Genève) and all volunteers, are responsible for keeping the Jet d'eau running smoothly, in the unique job of Gardien du Jet d'eau.
The Geneva Jet d'Eau is high, but above all it is beautiful, and it owes this to its special pipework. Made up of a tube of water 16 centimetres in diameter, a nozzle fills it with millions of air bubbles, giving it its white colour. In addition, eight spotlights allow it to be coloured according to the event being celebrated. Last Saturday, the Jet d'Eau was lit up in rainbow colours to mark the end of Pride Month and to support the LGBTIQ+ cause.
Before becoming the emblem of Geneva, the Jet d'Eau had a technical purpose, and its history began with the construction of a waterworks at La Coulouvrenière, which distributed the motive power of the Rhône to craftsmen. The only problem was that excess pressure was created when the craftsmen stopped their machines at the end of the day. The idea of installing a safety valve soon arose, and thus was born the forerunner of Geneva's Jet d'Eau, which was 30 metres high at the time. It was moved to the harbour in 1891, and was already 90 metres high when it was inaugurated. Another 50 metres have been added since then, but the system remains the same. What's more, its height cannot be exceeded because of the surrounding residential areas, or Geneva would be flooded.
Information taken from the book "Genève - insolite et secrète" by Christian Vellas
Photo credit: ©Book "Genève - Passé et présent sous le même angle" by Nicolas Crispini and Jean-Claude Mayor
