Water Supply Flashcards
Aqueducts
Used to encourage water from the mountains to flow down for use in the cities.
Could not be accessed by thieves or enemies.
Did not disrupt neighbouring farms or towns.
Distributing the Water
When water reached the cities it enters a castellum.
Pipes then take the water to tanks made of lead (towers) Public fountains were available for people to collect water from.
Richer citizens paid an extra tax to have water piped into their homes.
Public Facilities
Latrines were free, but there tended to be separate ones for rich and poor citizens.
People sat on Latrina and washed the shared sponges in a narrow channel of water in front of them.
Water in the home
Only wealthier people could cook at home, and they were the only ones to have water channelled in to do so.
People living in houses, not flats, collected water in the impluvium in the atrium, which was then piped into an underground cistern and brought up by hand when needed.
Waste water
Most Roman towns did not have a sewage system.
Instead, the pavement was raised and people crossed the road using stepping stones. Waste water simply flowed through the street.
Name of Roman Sewage system
Cloaca Maxima
5 methods of water transport
Trenches: Holes dug in the ground for water transport
Walls: Raised channels for water transport.
Pressurised Pipes: Pipes that pushed the water through large dips.
Tunnels: Water channels that went through mountains etc.
Arcades: Bridge for water transport.
Latrina
Stone seats over waste removal channels
Castellum
Where the water enters the city.
