Aqueduct

Aqueducts carrying water across many miles from mountain rivers and lakes into cities were among the greatest Roman achievements. The Romans perfected a technology that cannot be improved upon even today. In Rome itself over 400 kilometres of aqueducts were built to supply water to public bath houses, fountains, drinking basins and latrines. The water was also used for agriculture, mining and other industries. The majority of aqueducts were buried in the ground but the iconic image remains a towering bridge-like structure stretching across the landscape. The largest was the Aqua Marcia, which was some 144 kilometres long and delivered 182 million litres every day. Water gushed down into the city: by AD200 eleven aqueducts delivered nearly 1400 litres per person each day. This is far more than the water supplied to the average modern city dweller today.