(25 Aug 2025)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Geneva, Switzerland – 4 August 2025
1. Zoom out from Jet d’eau starting
2. SOUNDBITE (French) Frederic Schulz, director of water and gas services (SIG), City of Geneva: ++SOUNDBITE SPLIT SCREEN WITH SHOT1 AND IS OVERLAID BY SHOT3++
“The Jet d’eau functions thanks to two 500 kw water pumps. They suck water from the lake and jet it upwards at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour, (124 mph) 140 metres (460 feet) high. There are always seven tons (22,000 pounds) of water up in the air. It pumps 500 litres (110 gallons) per second.”
3. Zoom in of top of jet
4. Various of Jet d’eau water spout
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Corean Doornbos, Dutch tourist: ++SOUNDBITE SPLIT SCREEN WITH SHOT4 AND IS OVERLAID BY SHOT6-7++
“It’s very high. It’s beautiful. I think when the rain comes down you can see a rainbow maybe in it. And the city is beautiful. I think it’s part of the city.”
6. Various of tourists around Jet d’eau
7. tourist boat passing
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ethan Rosa, Geneva resident: ++SOUNDBITE IS OVERLAID BY SHOT9++
“How do I like it? It’s a really nice added value for the town, a really unique thing that makes us distinguished from others. It’s really pretty, depending on the seasons. It’s a nice attraction for tourists.”
9. Various of Jet d’eau
STORYLINE:
It’s one of Geneva’s most recognisable landmarks.
This giant water spout is the Jet d’eau.
The water from it spouts up hundred and forty metres (460 feet), throwing up 500 litres of water per second.
And its droplets rain down on Lake Geneva, soaking tourist boats and birds alike.
This morning Frederic Schulz has arrived at an underground facility on the lake to make sure everything is in working order before the jet is switched on.
“The Jet d’eau functions thanks to two 500 kw water pumps. They suck water from the lake and jet it upwards at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour, 140 metres high. There are always 7 tons of water up in the air. It pumps 500 litres per second,” he explains.
At 9am, the nozzle opens, a button in a secret location is pressed, and the water feature bursts into life.
The skyline of Geneva is finally complete.
The world-famous landmark didn’t come as a result of a planned publicity stunt but rather as a solution to an engineering problem.
In the mid 1880s, the city’s economy was booming, and had almost doubled its population to 100,000 people.
More people and industry meant more energy was needed, and a hydraulic plant was built at the mouth of the River Rhone.
In order to release the excess pressure built up by the plant, a safety valve was installed to control the pressure.
At the time, the water jet reached 30 metres (98 feet) high and only erupted at night.
Eventually, an innovative mechanism meant it was no longer necessary to release water to stop the build-up of pressure.
But by that time, Genevans had grown fond of their makeshift water fountain.
To keep everybody happy, the local authorities decided to build a second Jet d’eau, but at a more central and panoramic location, where it stands today.
At the height of the summer season, tourists flock to this pier to get a closer view of the giant.
Dutch visitor Corean Doombos says she saw something special in the mist.
“It’s very high. It’s beautiful. I think when the rain comes down you can see a rainbow maybe in it. And the city is beautiful. I think it’s part of the city,” she says.
Marjorie de Chastonay is the administrative council of Geneva.
She says that besides being a visual landmark, the Jet d’eau also has deeper meaning.
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