Water supply and wastewater disposal in Pompeii : an overview

The getting of water and its domestic, commercial and industrial use were daily activities for many of the inhabitants of Pompeii. The related infrastructure, such as the aqueduct, Castellum Aquae and many water towers and fountains, was a very visible part of Pompeii, as was the use of the streets for wastewater disposal. Indeed extensive provision and use of water was a characteristic part of Roman urbanisation all over the empire, and generally a sign of 'Romanisation’. This article reviews the water system in Pompeii from early times through to the city's destruction in 79 AD through the literature on this subject which has blossomed over the last two decades. For the purposes of this article I have confined myself to English language scholarship, with the occasional German and Italian exception.10 page(s