Fonte dos Leões fully recovered and returned to the city

The Fonte dos Leões gives brightness and colour to Praça Gomes Teixeira. The water comes after a recovery of the monument, by the Municipality, in an investment of about 27 thousand euros, with new systems at the water and energy level, which promotes sustainability, reduction of water losses, and a bet on low consumption lighting.

The iconic Porto fountain was the subject of a profound intervention, which evokes its origins and its original traits and colours, but also brought it a new sensing and monitoring system, making it more efficient, both in terms of water and lighting. “Changes not only in the recovery of the iron structure and around the lake itself, but also in the entire water system, always in a logic of recirculation of water”, said the vice-mayor and councillor for the Environment and Climate Transition.

Filipe Araújo, accompanied by the rector of the University of Porto, António Sousa Pereira, and members of the municipal company Águas e Energia do Porto, responsible for the intervention, witnessed today the rebirth of Fonte dos Leões. “For the Municipality to have a decorative fountain also implies investing in the minimum possible water losses. This is what we did here, in addition to the installation of a new lighting system, so that, at night, this iconic square of the city is also well illuminated”, he added.

According to the vice-mayor, “the intervention is in line with the different guidelines of the Municipal Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, which the Municipality of Porto has been implementing”.

“This fountain is part of the image of the University itself”

For the rector of the University of Porto (U.Porto), “this iconic fountain is part of the image of the University itself. More than that, it is already part of the lives of its students, who use it for many of their activities and incorporate it into their parties”, said António Sousa Pereira.

“Having this square recovered again is good for the city, for the University and for the academic life, which develops around here, and which this fountain is part. In the dissemination materials of the University, a great emphasis is always given to the framing of the fountain with the rectory building. Having this recovered and returned to the city is very good”, he added.

Total rehabilitation of the monument

Águas e Energia do Porto made a total rehabilitation of the monument, correcting and rectifying the centenary fountain structure. The entire aesthetic component has been rehabilitated, from the imposing monument, decorated with the posture of the four lions that constitute it and the two platforms that complete its height, to the stereotomy work of the tank that collects the waters. In the metal elements, all corrosion points were removed and repaired and a paint with its own components was applied to increase the durability of the iron, the source metal. Also, in the tank, in addition to the treatment of cracking plugging and broken mortar elements, a new waterproofing system was applied, suitable for the exposure of the local weather conditions.

Thus, Fonte dos Leões, returns to the future, more sustainable and equipped with technology that provides it with greater efficiency in water and energy consumption. The different technical components were revised and the command and control system were replaced, several level sensors (flow control, pumping failure monitoring, lighting failure and automatic water disinfection dispensers) were placed, which introduce new management and remote surveillance features.

A new multicolour lighting system was also implemented, using low consumption led technology, coupled to the various levels of the source and equipped with activation automation. In this way, the system can only be activated at night, allowing an energy saving in one of the factors of greater consumption of the equipment, and enhancing the beauty of the monument also at night.

The various systems are in communication 24 hours a day, through a wireless network, monitored by the Operations Management of Águas e Energia do Porto, allowing a quick reaction and action at the minimum alarm signal, reducing reaction times and promoting sustainability in issues such as possible water loss or excessive consumption due to electrical breakdown.

What was once a piece of central equipment in the distribution of water supply to the areas of Baixa and Foz, whose main function was to control the pressure and aeration of water, is now reborn in all its glory, perpetuated in memory, but also in the present of all Porto residents and visitors to the city.