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What is a city? Since ancient time, philosophers and architects have made a parallel between a settlement and a human body. To this end, the fountains represent the lips sipping water for the living organism, the city; the iron removal room represents the mouth filtering the water; the pumping station represents the pharynx pushing water to the esophagus, in the distribution network. Water runs through the stomach and further on to the small intestine, where most part of the water you consume is absorbed. These are our homes. 

You are now in the pumping house, established between 1913 and 1914. The design drawings are also stamped and signed by architect János Lenarduzzi and by a unidentified engineer, countersigned by Stan Vidrighin. 

The pumping house itself was built using an architectural language similar to the one of the iron removal room. Its shape in top view is quite simple, but the volume of the building displays more decor elements than the other buildings from the same time period. 

This is the last station of the journey before water exists the plant. Following the mineral compound filtering, the water now safe for drinking was then stored in tanks. From here, water was pumped inside people’s homes, a city that was back then 5 km far away from the plant.  The pipeline leaving the plant split in a 87 kilometer long network crossing the city from end to end. The Water treatment plant was designed in order to supply water for the 46.000 locals and also to cover future needs of the city.

The water distribution network was commissioned in the same year as this plant.  Also, in 1914, Timisoara City Water and Sewerage Enterprise, known as ACOT, was founded.  The first enterprise of its kind in the country.  Stan Vidrighin, the first director of the establishment, coordinated back 21 employees, out of which a foreman for water and sewerage works, an accountant, a treasurer, two engineers and six technicians. The volume of domestic and industrial water production has gradually increased over the years, leading up to a reinforcement of the human resources.

Over time, the company in charge of public utility services operated under several names. As Autonomous Regia, Aquatim was established in 1991, and today it is a regional operating company for water supply and sewerage. Regardless of their forms of organization, all these entities have naturally put the quality of services provided to residents of Timisoara first.