What is "svartediket"

Svartediket is a lake in the city of Bergen in Hordaland county, Norway. The lake lies immediately north of the mountain Ulriken, northeast of the Store Lungegårdsvannet bay. Historically, this lake was called Ålrekstadsvannet, but in the late 19th century, a dam was built on the south end of the lake to create a reservoir for the city's drinking water. Since then it was called Svartediket, after the water plant built there.

The lake is the main source of drinking water for the central parts of the city of Bergen. There is a pumping station and treatment facility build adjacent to the lake inside the mountain Ulriken. Drinking water is collected at a depth in Svartediket. Inside the water treatment plant, the water is filtered and irradiated with UV light to kill harmful microorganisms. After treatment, the clean drinking water is stored in a large water pool inside the mountain. This is the water that is pumped down to the city center for drinking water. In 2004, Bergen was hit by a Giardia lamblia epidemic which had its source in the lake Svartediket. The water treatment facility was upgraded in 2007.