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How did Rome supply drinking water to its large ancient population?

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Dense crowd of people walking through the brightly lit Shibuya shopping district in Tokyo, Japan, surrounded by colorful store signs and billboards in Japanese and English. — city Crowds of people in Tokyo's Shibuya shopping district.

To supply its large population with drinking water, ancient Rome utilized an extensive network of aqueducts constructed between 312 BCE and 226 CE. These systems relied entirely on the force of gravity to transport water from springs, lakes, or rivers located as far as 92 km (57 miles) away.12

While the iconic stone arches are the most recognizable feature, they accounted for only a small fraction of the total system; the vast majority of the approximately 420 km of conduits were built underground using stone, terra-cotta, or lead pipes. Upon reaching the city, the water flowed into distribution tanks and reservoirs. From there, it was primarily supplied to public fountains, where most citizens collected their water in containers. While a limited number of private residences and public buildings, such as baths, received direct water connections, the constant flow of water also served a vital sanitary function by flushing out the city's sewers.1234