WATER SUPPLY IN COLONIAL SANTIAGO: INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND GOVERNANCE

Abstract

This article aims to analyze water supply for human consumption during the colonial period in Santiago de Chile. Using the concept of governance as a reference framework, this work characterizes water supply sources available to the inhabitants of the city, the institutions in charge of managing their access, and the destructive impact that some natural phenomena, such as floods and earthquakes, had in the infrastructure designed for that purpose. Finally, the importance of historical knowledge is highlighted, which is manifested in the understanding of both sociopolitical contexts and institutional tradition, for the current and future governance of this natural resource.