Today, all wells have fallen to disuse and are capped with iron shields. A pipeline fetches water from 250 km away, feeding the network of taps (below: a public tap, with customary Venetian craft). But the water bill is steep. And what if water stops coming from 250 km away? The number of tourists is higher than residents, raising the water demand. With tourism have come pigeons, whose droppings damage the marble edifices. And Venice is sinking by 6 mm every year. The sea is staking its claim. Who knows, a revival of wells might work!