Vitruvius recorded that Susa, the capital of the Persian king, also had fountains. However, anyone who drank the spring water there would lose their teeth. There was also an engraved inscription beside the spring, roughly stating that the water was good for bathing but unsuitable for drinking, as drinking it would make one's teeth fall out.
The existence of that inscription was actually rather pointless, because in Vitruvius's time, very few people could read, and reading was a privilege reserved for the nobility. He might as well have stationed someone there to tell those drawing water that it was undrinkable, or spread the word throughout the capital so people could pass it on by word of mouth.
Spain had produced lead since Ancient Rome, maintaining a relatively high output until the third century, with lead found throughout nearly the entire Mediterranean region. Romans like Vitruvius actually knew that using lead for water pipes could cause problems and that ceramic pipes were healthier for transporting water. The egyptians associated lead with Osiris, god of the underworld, and at the time, lead was used to make coffins.
Yet even when ceramic was used for water pipes, its fragility meant it needed frequent replacement. Many Roman aqueducts had been built underground, making replacement far from easy.
Lead pipes, meanwhile, were easy to shape and widely available. Unlike iron, they did not rust easily, and only formed white lead when exposed to vinegar and wine.
A construction project had to account for matters like cost and maintenance, so lead, being cheap and an excellent piping material, came into widespread use.
So did the water from those Ancient Roman fountains contain lead? And did anyone drink it?
Of course people drank it. Compared to lead poisoning, they feared cholera and the Black Death more. Water