Jet d'Eau
The Jet d'Eau fountain in Geneva
The Water-Jet, or Jet d'Eau in French, is a well-known attraction in the city of Geneva, Switzerland. A large fountain that sits at the point where Lake Geneva becomes the Rhône River, and can be seen from many locations around the city, as well as from the air.
Two powerful pumps send 500 liters of water per second up to a height of 140 meters, which is about the height of a 45-story building. This requires a significant amount of energy, with the pumps consuming one megawatt of electricity each year, at a cost of 510,000 Swiss francs. The water leaves the nozzle at a speed of 200 km/h (55 m/s), with around 7,000 liters of water in the air at any given time.
History of Jet d’Eau
The first version of the fountain installed in 1886 for use as a safety valve for a hydraulic power network. In 1891, it was moved to its present location and used for aesthetic purposes for the first time. The current version was installed in 1951, and has been in operation year-round since 2003, except during periods of frost or strong winds.
