️⭐ A miracle of technology in Wrocław's Poland sewers. 6th Aug. 2026 Workers discovered a hundred-year-old water meter.

A pipe covered with silt, dirt and rust was discovered while working under Popielskiego Street by workers of the Municipal Water and Sewerage Company. They came across the structure completely by accident in a chamber next to old water pipes. It had been there for over a hundred years.

At first, no one suspected that it was an original, unique and intricately made water meter from the time of the industrial revolution in Europe.

The found copy was created around 1900. All its parts are original and complete. To the surprise of specialists, the mechanisms are still fully operational. Coated with copper, bronze alloys and screwed with brass screws, the movement weighs over 200 kilograms.

- It is certainly the only such water meter in Wrocław, or even in the country. It has a unique design and interesting technical solutions - says Ryszard Nowakowski, an enthusiast of the history of Wrocław waterworks.

As it turns out, never before have workers in the sewers come across such a large exhibit.

- It was always small things: some old lids, clips or screws. But there has never been such a large structure before - Marek Rembinowski, an employee of MPWiK in Wrocław, who renovated the historic equipment, is excited. - I am passionate about such technical monuments, so I immediately paid attention to this find - he adds.

The company's employees themselves - after working hours - renovated the historic water meter so that other Wrocław residents could see it as well.

"Every day we unveiled detail by detail, we cleaned screw by screw," they say.

They worked on it for several days. The restored monument has a fully functional screw drive. Even the hundred-year-old leather that seals the structure is in perfect condition. It also has a porcelain clock that measures the flow of water with an accuracy of a cubic meter.

- Inside, the pipe is covered with copper so that it does not become overgrown with algae. It is decorated with the factory logo and serial number - says Rembinowski.

The machine is screwed in by hand forged screws. It was constructed and designed in a water meter factory, still in Breslau at that time.

- It existed in the buildings of today's Tęczowa Street. The plant operated until 1948 as a company. Its shares were listed on the Berlin Stock Exchange before the war - says Nowakowski.

There were two companies producing water meters in Wrocław. The second one was located in Karłowice.

Now the historic water meter is to be transferred to the historic pumping station at Świątnicka Street. There the inhabitants of the city will be able to view it.

In the water meter, especially for the needs of the viewers, part of the cover was cut out so that its entire mechanism could be admired.

Wrocław's canals hide not only technical monuments. Once, MPWiK employees came across the remains of German soldiers, which interested researchers of World War II.

Ryszard Nowakowski, a researcher of the history of Wrocław's waterworks, revealed to us that he is trying to create a real museum of technology in the pumping station at Świątnicka Street.

"At the moment, however, it is only a project, without a specific budget, but the climate for this initiative is favorable," he admits. Find the details of the Manufacturer here; Breslauer Wassermesserfabrik or Hydrometer A.G.