Torre de l’Aigua is a modernist water tank considered one of the emblematic symbols of the city. It is located in the eastern area, almost touching the bank of the Ripoll river. Between 1922 and 1967 it served as a water tank.
It is a reinforced concrete tower - one of the first works in this material done in Sabadell. Its composition based on gravel, sand and water, along with some steel bars, made it possible to build a slender structure that could support the tank. Its architectural aspect is linked to the German tradition of this type of building.
The structural body is made up of eight pillars with their capitals and cornice, arranged in the form of a truncated pyramid and connected to each other by a spiral staircase. At the top there is the reservoir and the viewpoint. This is made up of eight balconies with iron railings. The tank is insulated with a double wall and air chamber, with five rectangular openings under each balcony to illuminate the tank and ventilate the air chamber. Although it has an octagonal shape on the outside, the inside is circular to avoid water pressure in the corners. The building is crowned by a dome formed by eight inclined faces.
Its capacity is 293.5 m3.
In June 1915, faced with the problem of the city's water supply, a project and construction of a storage tower was put out to tender, with detailed guidelines by Francesc Izard, but which left freedom in terms of materials and shape. Four projects were presented, the winner being Lluís Homs.
In February 1916, the works began under the direction of Josep Renom i Costa as municipal architect. The cost of the work was 104,422,70 pesetas. It was inaugurated in August 1918 with the assistance of the authorities, but it did not become operational until 1922.
The tower has undergone a progressive process of abandonment, up to a point it is now completely disused. It is owned by the City Council, which has left it to the franchise company (since 1949 with a 99-year license).
