{{Short description|Water treatment plant in Lima, Peru}} {{Infobox desalination plant | name = La Atarjea | image = Planta de tratamiento de agua la Atarjea.jpg | caption = | location = [[El Agustino]] | estimated output = 16–18 [[Cubic metre per second|m<sup>3</sup>/s]] | extended output = | percent of water supply = | operation date = {{Start date|1956|07|28}} }} '''La Atarjea''' is a [[water treatment plant]] located in [[El Agustino]], a district of [[Lima]], [[Peru]]. Originally a [[Spring (hydrology)|spring]], it serves the headquarters of [[SEDAPAL]], the city's water treatment company that also services [[Callao]].
==History== La Atarjea was originally a [[Spring (hydrology)|spring]] located in the eastern outskirts of the city of [[Lima]], behind [[Presbítero Maestro Cemetery]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Guía del Viajero-Callao, Lima y sus alrededores |last=Cisneros |first=Carlos B. |publisher=Imprenta del Estado |year=1898 |location=Lima |language=es |url=https://archivohistoricodemarina.mil.pe/producto/guia-del-viajero-callao-lima-y-sus-alrededores/ |last2=García |first2=Rómulo E.}}</ref> People from Lima drank their water straight from the [[Rímac River]] until 1552, when local authorities began looking for alternate sources. An [[Aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]] was built in 1563 to supply the [[Fountain of the Plaza Mayor, Lima|fountain]] at the [[Plaza Mayor, Lima|Plaza Mayor]] and the city's convents.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Entre aguateros y camiones: la historia del agua en Lima |url=https://elcomercio.pe/lima/aguateros-camiones-historia-agua-lima-305653-noticia/ |last=Córdova Tábori |first=Lilia |date=2014-03-30 |work=[[El Comercio (Peru)|El Comercio]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.iagua.es/blogs/eduardo-sosa-villalta/historia-agua-consumo-humano-peru |title=La historia del agua para consumo humano en el Perú |date=2022-01-17 |website=iAgua |last=Sosa Villalta |first=Eduardo}}</ref>
On December 24, 1953, a freight train of the [[Ferrocarril Central Andino]] headed for Lima [[Derailment|derailed]] next to the area, killing seven people.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Tragedia en La Atarjea: la historia del impactante descarrilamiento de un tren en la Navidad de 1953 |url=https://elcomercio.pe/archivo-elcomercio/tragedia-en-la-atarjea-la-historia-del-impactante-descarrilamiento-de-un-tren-en-la-navidad-de-1953-fotos-ferrocarril-central-del-peru-navidad-ano-nuevo-anos-50-nnsp-noticia/ |last=Batalla |first=Carlos |date=2024-01-10 |work=[[El Comercio (Peru)|El Comercio]]}}</ref>
In 1955, the government of [[Manuel A. Odría]] signed a contract with [[Degrémont]] in order to construct a proper treatment plant in an 11-month period with a capacity of 5 [[Cubic metre per second|m<sup>3</sup>/s]], the largest of its time. In the following decade, its capacity was increased to 7.5 m<sup>3</sup>/s.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.pucp.edu.pe/blog/juanluisorrego/2011/03/27/historia-del-agua-potable-en-lima/ |title=Historia del agua potable en Lima |date=2011-03-27 |website=[[Blog PUCP]] |last=Orrego Penagos |first=Juan Luis}}</ref>
==See also== *[[SEDAPAL]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Lima landmarks}}
{{coord|-12.0387|-76.9762|type:landmark_region:PE|display=title}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lima]] [[Category:Water treatment facilities]] [[Category:El Agustino]]