In a quiet suburban street in Athens, workers carefully install a pump onto an ancient stone well, accessing a 2,000-year-old aqueduct built during the Roman era. This initiative is part of the Greek capital’s efforts to address rising summer temperatures and growing water shortages.
Athens, one of Europe’s hottest and most densely populated cities, is restoring access to Hadrian’s Aqueduct, an underground 24-kilometer water channel named after the Roman Emperor who funded its construction in 140 AD.
The European Union-backed project aims to reuse the aqueduct’s water for irrigation and cleaning purposes, rather than drinking, to ease pressure on the city’s water supply.
Historic Aqueduct Becomes Key to Sustainability
The aqueduct, originating from Mount Parnitha, is naturally fed by an underground aquifer, according to geologist Yannis Dafnos. A gentle slope directs the water toward central Athens, where the Roman-built channel once supplied the city’s residents for centuries.
At Chalandri, a suburb 10 kilometers north of the city center, authorities have begun tapping into one of the 300 ancient wells connected to the aqueduct.
“The water isn’t drinkable, but it can be used to clean and irrigate parks and gardens,” said Katerina Apostolopoulou, a manager at Athens’ public water utility, Eydap. She emphasized that the initiative would help conserve drinking water, a crucial step given Athens’ frequent water shortage warnings.
A Marvel of Engineering and History
Describing the aqueduct as an “archaeological and engineering marvel,” Eydap’s Director of Strategy and Innovation, George Sachinis, hopes the project will also support the creation of more green spaces in the city.
“It is one of the most important ancient aqueducts in Europe,” he said.
Originally used for centuries, the aqueduct fell into disuse after the construction of modern dams near Athens. It was briefly revived in the late 19th century before being abandoned again. During World War II and the Greek Civil War, one of the now-dry Chalandri wells served as a shelter, said Christos Giovanopoulos, head of the Cultural Hidrant heritage project at Chalandri’s town hall.
Today, Chalandri is the first of eight Athens municipalities set to benefit from the aqueduct’s water. A dry well nearby has even been converted into a visitor site, allowing people to descend and view sections of the Roman-built water system.
A Sustainable Future Inspired by the Past
The aqueduct reaches the heart of Athens, near Lycabettus Hill, once home to a Roman reservoir. Although much of the original structure has disappeared, remnants of the roofing built by the Romans to prevent debris from contaminating the water remain intact.
Sachinis praised the aqueduct’s harmonious design, saying it was an “elegant piece of infrastructure that collaborates with nature”. Plans are now underway to create additional green spaces around the ancient reservoir, marking another step in Athens’ commitment to sustainable urban development.
