The state of the roads in irrigated areas was so precarious that the city council had to intervene to ensure their repair:

Since in past councils mention was made of the befouling of the roads of the huerta of the said city [Valencia], at times through the fault of irrigators, and at times through the fault of cequiers, it was decided that it would be an expedient and most useful thing that . . . a good person be appointed to have single care and special charge of this. Because those to whom it pertains ordinarily (the cequiers have usually taken the fines for spilling and flooding of water) do not take care of it any longer.

And since the mustasaf -- an officer to whom it pertains, according to fuero, to guard and prevent the roads and highways from deteriorating -- is busy with other affairs and does not take care of it, nor either do the obrer or sotsobrer, ⁽²⁾to whom pertain the repair of roads, take care of it, it was decided in past councils to find a good man who would undertake such a chore without salary from the general funds of the city, but only from the emoluments and fines coming from this matter, the present council. . .in order to remove exasperation and harm from travelers and to save the great expenses which the said obrer has to make each year in good repairs, deliberately and unanimously provides that the jurates seek out and find . . . a person fitting to hold the commission in this matter . . . which commission can be made by the mustasaf or others, according to what they decide is best.

1. AMV, Manuals de Consell, 21, fol. 40r (Aug. 14, 1396).

2.Officials of the Fabrica de Murs i Valls (Lop, Murs e Valls, pp. 23, 69).