Access to water was a primary concern in any Israelite city, but particularly so in the arid regions to the south and east. Not only must the people ensure they had ample water to sustain them through the dry months between April and September, but also protect their supply from enemies during the age of siege warfare. Water systems, such as this one at Beersheba, solved both problems. These steps within the city walls lead down to a series of subterranean cisterns, which collected both ground water and overflow from the nearby wadi.