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Impressive evidence of the quality of Portuguese engineering can be seen in the Mãe d'Água, the "mother of waters," a reservoir at the end of the Aqueduto dos Águas Livres. The network had already been laid out under João V and provided all of Lisbon with fresh drinking water. Although the reservoir was not built until several decades later, Carlos Mardel's design shows the importance attached to such projects.
The Mãe d'Água is a small block-shaped palace in Neoclassical form, decorated by a double staircase and dual corner pilasters. Its interior is composed of a great vaulted hall of pillars.
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