Historical Development of Wastewater Management

The rapid technological progress in the twentieth century created a disdain for the past achievements. Past water technologies were regarded to be far behind the present ones; signified major advances achieved in the twentieth century. There was a great deal of unresolved problems related to the management principles, such as the decentralization of the processes, the durability of the water projects, the cost effectiveness, and sustainability issues such as protection from floods and droughts. In the developing world, such problems were intensified to an unprecedented degree. Moreover, new problems have arisen such as the contamination of surface and groundwater. Naturally, intensification of unresolved problems led societies to revisit the past and to reinvestigate the successful past achievements. To their surprise, those who attempted this retrospect, based on archaeological, historical, and technical evidence, were impressed by two things: the similarity of principles with present ones and the advanced level of water engineering and management practices in ancient times. Modern-day water technological principles have a foundation dating back 3000–4000 years ago. These achievements include technologies such as dams, wells, cisterns, aqueducts, baths, recreational structures, and even water reuse. These hydraulic works and features also reflect advanced scientific knowledge, which for instance allowed the construction of tunnels from two openings and the transportation of water both by open channels and closed conduits under pressure. Certainly, technological developments were driven by the necessities for efficient use of natural water resources in order to make civilizations more resistant to destructive natural elements, and to improve the standards of life. With respect to the latter, certain civilizations developed an advanced, comfortable, and hygienic lifestyle, as manifested from public and private bathrooms and flushing toilets, which can only be compared to our modern facilities which were reestablished in Europe and North America in the beginning of the last century [5]. The principles and practices in water management of ancient civilizations are not well known as well as other achievements of ancient civilizations, such as poetry, philosophy, science, politics, and visual arts. A lot is to be learned from ancient technologies and practices. Different remnants are available in various parts of the world allowing us to study the development of water technologies through centuries. To put in perspective the ancient water management principles and practices, it is important to examine their relevance to modern times and to harvest some lessons. Furthermore, the relevance of ancient works has to be examined in terms of the evolution of technology, technological advances, homeland security, and management principles. Finally, a comparative assessment of the various technologies among civilizations should be considered.