Hydraulic Opulence: Artesian Wells and bathing in Mexico, 1850–1900

• DOI: 10.1007/s12685-022-00297-9
• Publication Date: 2022-05-09T19:04:06Z
• Authors: Casey Walsh
• Keywords: 05 social sciences; 0507 social and economic geography; 6. Clean water

AbstractBefore 1850 Mexico City’s scarce water resources were produced by a handful of nearby springs channeled through centuries-old city infrastructures to a limited number of taps in large houses and to public fountains that served the majority of the population. In the second half of the nineteenth century, artesian wells tapping the Valley of Mexico’s aquifers enabled landowners and businessmen to produce copious amounts of water almost anywhere with little effort. Private access to groundwater supplied newly built bathhouses and propelled changes to, and the rapid expansion of, social practices of bathing and swimming. This infrastructure, expanded supply, and new practices gave shape to a widely shared and historically durable assumption that there are no limits to the supply of water – what I call hydraulic opulence. After 1900 hydraulic opulence fueled soaring demand and continuous efforts by the state to expand hydraulic infrastructure and supply.