The Problems in the Channeled Water System in Colonial Lima in the First Half of the 18th Century

Rivasplata Varilla P.E. · Cuadernos de Estudios del Siglo XVIII (2026) · DOI: 10.17811/cesxviii.36.2026.397-424

Resumen

The objective of this work is to understand the problems with the water supply system in colonial Lima during the first half of the 18th century. These problems led the city council to dedicate a large part of its chapter sessions to resolving them, reinforcing the monitoring, maintenance, and control of the hydraulic system through plumbers. The problems with the water supply system in Lima included breakage, theft, and water shortages, in addition to the conflicts generated, above all, among the monasteries of Lima due to the limited water they received. Monasteries blamed each other for taking more than their fair share, affecting others and their neighbors. The contribution of this work lies in the fact that the Lima water supply system in the first half of the 18th century has been studied less than the second half. Copyright 2026 Alejandra Pasino. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos