Roman Aqueducts

Hello. My name is Aqueduct, and I am a big, strong water bridge. Long, long ago, I was built to help a busy city called Rome. So many people lived there, and they were all very thirsty. The river near their homes was not always clean enough for drinking. They needed fresh, sparkly water to drink, to cook, and to splash in on warm days. So, some very clever people had a wonderful idea. They decided to build me to bring clean water from far away right into their city. I was so excited to help.

The clever Roman builders began their work on my very first friend, the Aqua Appia, way back in the year 312 BCE. They traveled far away from the city, up into the green hills, where they found fresh, clean springs full of yummy water. Then, they started to build me. I am a long, gentle slide made just for water. I am made of big, strong stones stacked into tall arches that look just like rainbows. These rainbow arches help me stand up tall and carry the water over deep valleys and green fields. I am like a river in the sky, flowing slowly and carefully all the way to the thirsty people waiting for me in the big city.

When my fresh water arrived in the city, everyone was so happy. Splish, splash. The water filled up beautiful fountains where people could get a cool drink. It also filled up giant pools called public baths. In the baths, everyone could get clean, swim, and play together. I felt so proud. By bringing clean water, I helped everyone stay healthy and happy. I made the city a wonderful place to live. Even today, my idea is still used to bring water to your home. So every time you turn on the faucet to get a drink or wash your hands, you can think of me, the helpful water bridge.