Fountain in the Ključ 3 Neighborhood

The water is safe for drinking

The fountain in the Ključ 3 neighborhood, located opposite the “Hajduk Veljko” Primary School, belongs to a group of public fountains connected during the 1980s to the same artesian well in this part of the city. Its origin lies in an exploratory borehole drilled in 1984 in the courtyard of the “Maslačak” kindergarten, from which the water was initially used for the needs of the institution itself, and subsequently, in 1987, distributed to several points in the immediate vicinity. The same source supplies the fountain in the kindergarten courtyard, the fountain in the schoolyard, the fountain near the “Kablovi” playground, and the fountain in 14. srpske udarne brigade Street.

The exploratory drilling project was designed by geologist Dragoljub Šarčević, while the drilling works were carried out by the company “Georad Zaječar.” The investors were the Republic Self-Managed Community for Geological Research and the Fifth Local Community Kotlujevac. Although the water distribution network and the installation of the fountains were carried out between 1984 and 1987, the project documentation concerning the distribution system has not been preserved. Based on field data, it has been established that the main connection point is located in front of the entrance to the school’s sports hall, built at a later date.

The present appearance of the fountain dates from 2015, when workers of the company JSC “Put” Zaječar constructed a new structure and arranged the surrounding area, giving this public fountain a more orderly and functional appearance adapted to the everyday use of the residents of this part of the neighborhood. The fountain is designed as a compact stone structure with a circular base, built of regularly arranged blocks of dressed stone. At its center rises a taller cylindrical form with a slightly rounded top, fitted with a metal tap, beneath which there is a semicircular stone basin for collecting water. On the left and right sides, lower semicircular segments extend the base. The massive stone treatment of the fountain is emphasized by its position along the edge of a paved plateau of gray and red concrete paving blocks, while low concrete walls on both sides separate the paved area from the grassy surface and simultaneously serve as places for short rest.