Kenneth R. Wright, "A True Test of Sustainability - The Triumph of Incan Civil Engineering over Scarce Water Resources Survives Today," Water Environment & Technology. (PDF)

This article describes the water collection and conveyance facilities built (circa 1450 AD) by the Incas at Machu Picchu – high in the mountains of Peru. These conveyance facilities, made of cut stone and sealed with clay, are still functioning today; a tribute to the ingenuity and skill of the Inca’s and the sustainability of their endeavors.

Source: Reprinted with permission from Water Environment & Technology, Vol. 20, No. 9, 78-87. Copyright 2008 Water Environment Federation: Alexandria, Virginia; www.wef.org. This paper may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the Water Environment Federation.