🏺💎water supply in pompeii

🏺Water supply in pompeii : How Roman Engineers Plumbed Luxury into Pompeii⛲💎

Pompeii's water supply system was an advanced network of aqueducts, reservoirs, water towers, and lead pipes that brought fresh water from the Serino springs. Water was distributed from a main basin called the Castellum divisorium, located at the city's highest point, through three large lead pipes. Water towers served to regulate pressure for the distribution system across the city's significant elevation changes. This system supplied public fountains, private homes, and businesses like baths and workshops.

⛲The supply system

Aqueduct: Water was delivered from the Serino springs in the Apennine mountains through the Aqua Augusta aqueduct, using gravity.

Castellum divisorium: At the city's highest point, the main reservoir, the Castellum divisorium, collected the water and divided it into three large pipes for distribution.

Water Towers: Castella aquae (water towers) were built at intervals to manage water pressure. Water was sent to reservoirs at the top, then released to supply lower areas and smaller pipes.

Distribution Network: The water flowed through a network of lead and ceramic pipes, many of which ran under the sidewalks and are still visible today. 

⚙️  Where water was distributed

Public Fountains: Public fountains were common in public spaces and at street intersections.

Private Homes: Wealthier homes often had private connections to the system, and many had their own indoor cisterns to collect rainwater.

Public Facilities: The system supplied water to the city's public baths and thermal facilities.

Workshops: Industries like bakeries and laundries also relied on the large volume of water provided by the system. 

🛀🏻 Other water sources

Rainwater: Before the aqueduct was built, the city relied on rainwater collected in cisterns from roofs (through compluvium and impluvium) and supplemented by public wells. 

✅  Curiosity  

The pipes were in the lead, ran under the sidewalks and are still visible in various parts of the ancient Vesuvian cities. The use of lead was widespread in Roman times, but no one knew what was harmful to health. Most exposed to intoxication were the richest, who are estimated to absorb about 250 mg of lead per day. In fact, it was also used to sweeten the wine, in the composition of cosmetic products and to build pottery and cookware.

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