To address the water shortage in the Greek capital, the ancient aqueduct will be brought back into service. The water system, originally constructed by Emperor Hadrian, will be restored by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company.
After several years of drought, the water level in the Mornos reservoir, the main source of water supply for Athens, has dropped so low that structures submerged during the creation of the artificial lake have become exposed. The threat of water usage restrictions loomed over the Greek capital. To prevent this, an unusual solution was adopted—reactivating the nearly two-thousand-year-old Roman aqueduct.
Built in 140 AD, the aqueduct carries water from Mount Parnitha, located 23 km from Athens. The majority of the structure is underground, and along its entire length, it collects groundwater that is currently being discharged into the sea.
The goal of the "Cultural HIDRANT" project, under which the aqueduct's restoration work is taking place, is to mitigate the effects of climate change, promote sustainable development in the Greek capital, and improve water usage practices.
According to Christos Giovanopoulos, the project leader for "Cultural HIDRANT," after connecting the ancient Roman aqueduct to Athens' water supply system, the city will receive an additional 80,000 cubic meters of water per year. This entire amount will be directed to irrigating the gardens and parks of the metropolis—one of the hottest and most densely populated cities in Europe.
The organizers and implementers of this original water supply idea for Athens hope that their project will help create a substantial green space in the city, contributing to lower temperatures and cleaner air.
Given the uniqueness of this ancient engineering structure, all restoration work on the Roman aqueduct will be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the regional administration of Attica.
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