The Ten Books on Architecture, 8.6.1

Vitruvius  translated by Joseph Gwilt

« Vitr. 8.5 | Vitr. 8.6 | Vitr. 9.0 | About This Work »

Of Conducting Water

6Water is conducted in three ways, either in streams by means of channels built to convey it, in leaden pipes or in earthen tubes, according to the following rules. If in channels, the structure must be as solid as possible, and the bed of the channel must have a fall of not less than half a foot to a length of one hundred. These channels are arched over at top, that the sun may strike on the water as little as possible. When they are brought home to the walls of the city a reservoir (castellum) is built, with a triple cistern attached to it to receive the water. In the reservoir are three pipes of equal sizes, and so connected that when the water overflows at the extremities, it is discharged into the middle one,

« Vitr. 8.5 | Vitr. 8.6 | Vitr. 9.0 | About This Work »