How did the Romans get water up hills using aquaducts?

Answer 1

The Romans developed and deployed a wide-ranging system of aqueducts to transport water from distant places right into their homes. We can still see remnants of this mighty architectural achievement throughout the now defunct "Roman Empire" Those overhead water transport systems were so efficient that it was possible to construct another mighty architectural achievement, the elaborate sewage/waste transports (underground) away from populated areas and the convenient community baths every Roman citizen could enjoy. Their contributions to modern Plumbing cannot be overemphasized.

Answer 2

They used the concept of the inverted siphon. Technically, the Romans were not able to get water to move uphill in a general sense. All aqueducts move water from an elevated source (spring-fed streams in the mountains) to end-users at a lower elevation. The water flows almost entirely downhill from the source to the end user. If the water needed to cross a valley, the Romans would build an arched structure with an elevated channel to cross the valley, but even this channel would have a vary slight downhill gradient that allowed water to flow towards the end user. If a large hill was in their way, the Romans would either divert the channel around the hill, dig a trench through the hill, or dig a tunnel through the hill, all while maintaining a fairly constant, slight downhill gradient towards the end user. The only exception to the rule of a generally constant downhill slope to the water channel is that for certain specific tunnel segments, the Romans could build the tunnel as an inverted siphon (mentioned above) to cross a depression or valley and raise the water level on the downhill side almost to the level of the uphill side. To do this requires a well-sealed tunnel strong enough to withstand the increased water pressure within the siphon. Note, however, that except for gaining a little bit of elevation if you slow down fast-moving water, you normally can't get water to flow out of the outlet at a higher elevation than the inlet. So technically, even the Romans were not able to really get water to flow "up a hill". In modern days, we normally use pumps any time we need to get water up to a higher elevation. The Romans were able to move small amounts of water uphill in some situations by using a waterwheel. If the waterwheel is set in a fast-moving stream, the energy turning the wheel can be used to elevate a small amount of water to near the elevation of the top of the wheel. But this method is inefficient and impractical for elevating large amounts of water. Similarly, an archimedian screw can be used to elevate small amounts of water a short distance uphill, typically in areas of irrigated fields. But this method is also inefficient and impractical for large amounts of water. In summary, the only realistic method of supplying large amounts of water to a distant city is to capture the water from streams at a higher elevation, and direct the water generally downhill towards the users in the city.

Answer 3

Through wells, aqueducts, reservoirs and fountains.

Answer 4

The Romans built numerous aqueducts to bring water to Rome and other cities from distant mountains.

Answer 5

From lakes,rivers, ponds and dams .ect