Bateman, John Frederic (John Frederic La Trobe), 1810-1889

Prominent British civil engineer who specialized in the design of municipal waterworks.

Although most of his work was in the United Kingdom, Bateman also developed systems for other countries, including Argentina. According to the Dictionary of national biography, "in the winter of 1870-1, he visited Buenos Ayres, at the request of the Argentine government, for the purpose of laying out harbour works for that city. His plans were not adopted, but he was afterwards employed to design and carry out the drainage and water supply for the city." Prior to the construction of Bateman's water system, there had been no public sewers in Buenos Aires, and sanitary conditions in the city were terrible. The cholera epidemic of 1867-1868, with 15,000 victims, and the yellow fever epidemic of 1871, with 26,000 victims, were greatly intensified by these unsanitary conditions.