Original scientific paper
Water – the Life Basis of Osijek
Zlata Živaković-Kerže
; Hrvatski institut za povijest. Podružnica za povijest Slavonije, Srijema i Baranje. Slavonski Brod, Hrvatska
Abstract
Rivers and their waters have always been important for human existence. They are sources of life: a food source and waterways, used for watering plough-land; they are an energy source. The life of Osijek has been based upon such role of river waters since it is situated alongside the Drava in an outstanding area of the Danube-Drava basin. For the citizens of Osijek the river waters are a life source together with underground waters of its narrower and wider region. In the beginning of the second half of the 18th century Osijek had, as first among all towns in the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia, its own public waterworks and sewage system, due to a large number of the officers residing in the Citadel and accustomed to a higher living / sanitary standards as well as the wells that were frequently running out of water in the summertime in spite of the Drava proximity. In this matter the construction of the Citadel waterworks was bound to the benefit that Osijek is situated alongside the Drava, this inexhaustible source of huge amount of water. Since the Citadel was one of the four essential parts of Osijek until the mid-19th century that had a town feature, but was a strong fortification, it is easily apprehensive why it was only the Citadel that had a water supply. In other parts of Osijek drinking water was taken from the garden or town wells where the drinking water quality was doubtful and since the population and military, economy (craft workshops) and other water consumers depended on a qualitative water supply in many ways, such conditions (dif- ficulties) demanded certain health / sanitary standards in Osijek. Thus the town government was forced to resolve this essential issue especially from the second half of the 19th century until the second half of the 20th century.
Keywords
water; Osijek; water supply; the Drava; waterworks
Hrčak ID:
33985
URI
Publication date:
20.2.2009.
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