Page 54 - Urban water supply handbook

URBAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

URBAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 1.53

Sources of water for Pompeii included wells, cisterns, and other reservoirs, and
a long-distance water supply line (Crouch, 1993, p. 178). According to Richardson
(1988, p. 51) there were no springs within the city of Pompeii. The water table was
tapped within Pompeii using wells as deep as 38 m below the surface (Maiuri, 1931,
pp. 546–557). A long-distance aqueduct from the hills to the east and northeast also
supplied the city. This aqueduct received water from springs at Serino, near
Avellino, and then was routed via Sarno around the north side of Mt. Vesuvius to
serve Naples and two large cisterns of Cento Camerelle (Baiae) and the Piscina
Mirabilis (Misenum). From Sarno a branch aqueduct was routed to Pompeii termi-
nating at the castellum at Porta Vesuvii (Hodge, 1992). Figure 1.41 illustrates the
water distribution system elements of Pompeii (circa A.D. 79).
The households and public buildings both had very interesting systems to col-
lect and store rainwater. Buildings with peaked roofs had gutters along the eaves
to collect the rainwater and downspouts to carry the water to the cisterns located
under the buildings. Downspouts were made of terra-cotta pipes and were often
set inside the wall (see Fig. 1.42).

FIGURE 1.41 Plan showing all the known water system elements of Pompeii (circa A.D. 79. (As
presented in Crouch, 1993, compiled from maps published by Escherbach, Larsen, and
Richardson)

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