Evolution of water supplies in the Hellenic world focusing on water treatment and modern parallels A. N. Angelakis , K. S. Voudouris and G. Tchobanoglous ABSTRACT Advanced, well organized, and operated urban water supply systems existed in Greece from the Bronze Age (ca. 3200–1100 BC). At the dawn of human history, surface water and groundwater, principally springs, were the most common water supply sources. As the population grew, periodic water shortages occurred. In Early Minoan times (ca. 3200–2100 BC), these water shortages led to the development of sophisticated hydraulic structures for importing water and for the harvesting and storage of rainwater. In addition, the water treatment technologies and water distribution techniques developed at that time served as the basis for the advanced technological progress in the development of the urban water supply systems in the centuries that followed. In this paper, an overview of the evolution of public water supplies and water treatment technologies in the Hellenic world through the centuries up to modern times is presented. Some of the most significant innovations in the provision of water, its treatment, and distribution are highlighted. The overview is followed by a discussion of the contemporary situation, emerging trends, and future challenges, and parallels are drawn between historical developments and the water supply problems faced today. A. N. Angelakis HAO-Demeter, Agricultural Research Institution of Crete, 71300 Iraklion, Greece and Union of Hellenic Water Supply and Sewerage Operators, Larissa 41222, Greece K. S. Voudouris (corresponding author) Laboratory of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece E-mail: kvoudour@geo.auth.gr G. Tchobanoglous Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA Key words | ancient Greece, ancient hydraulic technologies, future trends, modern times, urban water systems, water treatment devices PROLEGOMENA ‘… the principle of all things is water, out of water is all and into water goes all things back ….’ Thales of Miletus (624–546 BC) Modern humans (Homo sapiens) have dwelled on earth for over 200,000 years, originally as hunter–gatherers, and with the population began to expand faster than ever before (Vuorinen et al. ). A new era started about 10,000 years ago when humankind adopted a rural way of living and established permanent small settlements (i.e. villages) scattered over wide areas. Because their settlements were highly dependent on water, a new relationship developed between humans and water (Rose & Angelakis ). When people lived as hunters and/or collectors, river water was used for drinking purposes. Also, the first perma- nent settlements were usually near a river or lake (e.g. China, Egypt, Mesopotamia). However when settlements were established in areas where there were no rivers or lakes, groundwater sources were used for drinking water purposes. At that time, waterborne diseases became a very serious health risk for the prehistoric agriculturists (Vuorinen et al. ). The earliest known permanent settlement, which can be classified as urban, is Jericho, a city in the Palestinian Terri- tories, located near the Jordan River. There is evidence of a settlement dating back to ca. 10,000 BCE (before the common era or before Christ, BC) (Mithen ). In Greece, the Neolithic settlement of Sesklo, located in north- eastern Thessaly, is considered as one of the earlier Neolithic settlements of Europe. It covered an area of approximately 20 ha (1 ha ¼ 10,000 m 2 ) during its peak period at ca. 5000 BC and comprised about 500–800 773 © IWA Publishing 2020 Water Supply | 20.3 | 2020 doi: 10.2166/ws.2020.032 Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/ws/article-pdf/20/3/773/765237/ws020030773.pdf by guest on 07 November 2023