The Romans perfected the design of aqueducts and built scores of these in all parts of their vast empire. Long stretches of arches still stand as monuments to Rome's engineering ability. Anyone who visits Europe can see them. One ancient aqueduct is at Pont du Gard, Nîmes, France. At Segovia, Spain, a magnificent 2,700-foot-long aqueduct built under Emperor Trajan (98-117 C.E.) is still in working order. The amount of water transported by these aqueducts was tremendous. In 97 C.E. The nine aqueducts feeding Rome are said to have provided the city with a daily supply of some 38,000,000 U.S.A. Gallons within its walls and another 20,000,000 gallons outside the walls! In those days water was a free gift to the community, no one having to pay for it. As for the building and maintenance expenses, these were generally paid from the spoils of war, the imperial treasury or by some wealthy benefactors. So it was that ancient Rome became famous for its public fountains, taps and baths.
