60win Athens’s New Answer to a Water Supply Crunch: An Ancient Aqueduct

After climate change brought another year of record-breaking heat and dwindling rainfall to Greece, the reservoirs that supply water to Athens have dropped to their lowest levels in over a decade. Farmers are struggling to produce crops60win, wildfires have increased the demand for water and priests are conducting prayers for rain.

So in addition to investing in modern water-sourcing measures like a new connection to an artificial lake and desalination units, Athens is turning to an older asset: an aqueduct that dates back to when Greece was part of the Roman Empire.

Map showing the approximate route of Hadrian’s Aqueduct, ending at Dexameni in Athens. The suburb of Halandri is also shown.

2 miles

Greece

GREECE

TURKEY

E75

Athens

Approximate route of

Hadrian’s Aqueduct

65

54

Halandri

8

8

Athens

Dexameni

By The New York Times

“We have an ancient monument and feat of engineering that we’re bringing into the present to save water and cool the city,” said Katerina Dimitrou of the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company, which has worked with the Culture Ministry and local authorities to revive the aqueduct.

The aim is to supplement the water supply, help cool areas by irrigating green spaces and, more broadly, said Ms. Dimitrou, “create a new water culture.”

ImageAn element of the aqueduct’s well structure protruding over part of the city’s 2004 Olympic Games complex.Credit...Byron Smith for The New York Times

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