Aquaducts - leading water

Besides providing for beautiful desktop screensavers or paintings, aqueducts were at one point in time the height of human engineering. While their invention and use date back to empires as far back as the Assyrians, Persians, and Egyptians, one cannot think of the structure and its familiar arches without thinking of the Roman Empire. The Romans advanced the design and engineering of the aqueduct which was vital to the survival of ancient citizens (at least as vital as water tends to be to human beings). Their benefits ranged from agriculture to drinking water and even today they are regarded as marvels of engineering wherever they’re found. 

​

But as much as we Italians never tire of discussing our ancient achievements, there is much in the present that we can look to as well. The word ‘Aqueduct’ comes from the Latin words “aqua” (water) and ductus meaning “conduit” (‘ducere’ means ‘to lead’ in Latin). And indeed, Italy continues to lead in the field of water as its importance is perhaps more vital than it ever was. While we’ve moved beyond the pretty arched design of the groundbreaking aqueduct, the world continues to face problems regarding its water supply. These problems range from access (according to the UN 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water) to things like sanitation, agricultural dependency, and negative environmental impacts. 

And so much like the ancient romans (and yes, those other empires), we have to look to new technology to solve our perennial water problems. Italy has been among the forefront of such technology for a number of years now. Italy recognizes the importance of such issues and is home to numerous renowned water research institutions as well as universities with an explicit focus in the field. They have done extensive research into flood risk management (being no stranger to the phenomenon due to their geographical context), they have been actively involved in desalination research and they continue to innovate in the field of water infrastructure. 

South Africa is also no stranger to tackling water crises. The number of its citizens with access to water has grown to an impressive degree since 1994, and we continue to implement various conservation programs and add to our water infrastructure – ensuring that more and more people have access to clean water regardless of where they live.

​

The moral of the story is that it’s easy to get caught up in ourever-changing world. Most of our headlines have to do with things that seem to come from sci-fi novels: AI, Mars, robots, and virtual reality. But some things never change. The ancient world needed to find ways to ensure that it had access to one of its most essential resources and so do we. “The past is prologue”, said William Shakespeare in the tempest and he was right. Millenia later and we are still working on our water woes. The good news though is that we’ve made immense progress. And better still, we have the scenic remnants of that progress upon which to reflect.

​

Join us for a transformative event!

​

The Italian South African Chamber of Trade and Industries, in collaboration with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South Africa, the Belgian Chamber of Commerce for Southern Africa, and the Embassy of Israel, is delighted to extend an invitation to our esteemed Members and Friends.

Date: 11th July 2023

Location: Knightsbridge Office Park, Bryanston

This conference aims to tackle the pressing issue of water scarcity and infrastructure challenges faced by South Africa. Distinguished industry leaders, experts in their respective fields, and decision makers from the public and private sectors will convene to explore various strategies and solutions for embracing the era of sustainable development.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect and forge strong relationships with key players, CEOs, and executive representatives from South African, Spanish, Italian, Belgian, and Israeli enterprises who will be in attendance. It promises to be an ideal platform for networking and engaging with companies at the forefront of the green economy.

Join us and be a part of this impactful event that will shape the future of water management and resilient infrastructure for a sustainable tomorrow.

To register as an attendee or exhibitor, please send an email to moi@italcham.co.za stating:

-your full name

-your company’s name

-whether you would like to participate as an attendee or exhibitor.

You can find further information and prices in the flyer just below.