ABSTRACT
During the nineteenth century, the provision of drinking water and sewer systems were integrated and – at least in Italy – attempts at expanding irrigated areas were made; therefore, water entered a period of increasing consumption. In the late nineteenth century, the majority of Rome’s waterworks were realised, managed, and maintained by private sector actors and used for commercial purposes. But the water management of Rome was not merely a private concern. In fact, public perceptions of water and urban and rural renewal projects moulded the context in which the private pursuit of money took place. Thus, the governance of water in the Roman context was shaped by the dynamic interactions between public and private actors.
