A little history

Half way through the ninenteenth century the water supply in La Coruña came from various springs in the area - Santa María de Oza, San Pedro, Brazal, Frile and Vioño. Around 1860 Gramela, Conchiñas, Nelle, Vioño and Torre das Vellas were added to the list. The flow was directed through San Pedro and Vioño, marked with the fountains of Santa Catalina, San Andrés, Santa Lucía, Plazuela del Correo Viejo, La Franja and El Deseo.

Population growth and the development of industry made it essential to have a good and ample water supply for present and future needs. It was an engineer called Juan Fernández Yáñez who won the public competition, and the project for the water supply was drawn up in 1881. Water would come from the River Barcés. A Royal Decree dated 1 May 1885 granted the City Council of La Coruña 100 litres of water per second from the River Barcés for this purpose.

In 1890 Ernest John Bayliss and Roberto Baldelló presented a proposal for the water service, and it was accepted by the Council in December of the same year. The following year they transferred their rights to the "The British and Foreign Trading Company Limited", and on 20 June 1892 the contract was signed by the company and the City Council. In 1894 the water supply was taken over by another British company, "The Corunna Waterworks Company Limited". After various episodes of non-fulfilment, on 30 August 1899, the Council revoked the contract. Finally, by Royal Decree 13 dated June 1903, the water supply from the River Barcés was abandoned, a decision that was ratified in 1908.

 The Water Cycle