Your reference to water engineering makes me ask if you have read Pompeii by Richard Harris.
This is a great work of fiction whose hero is the water engineer of Pompeii, a position of some importance. When the fountains and acqueduct run dry a few days before the eruption, he enters upon a search for the cause. it’s kinda an historical engineering mystery based on facts. You will learn a LOT about Roman water engineering (which sounds dry, right) but turns out to be fascinating. First couple of chapters may be slow to set the scene, but well worth the read.
Terrific book by a fine writer. I just read Munich which gave me a different perspective on Neville Chamberlain.