International audience The reform of French public engineering has gone on almost unnoticed. However it has played a crucial role in the evolution of local water management. The latter is a good illustration of the current reshaping of the State. It also underlines some paradoxes in new public management reforms. The first consequences of this reform are the diminution in expertise and the weakening of the network of relationships linking the State and local authorities. It has also given rise to adaptation strategies from State services and civil servants at the local level that have unexpected impacts. Finally, State withdrawal from this historical mission has only partially benefited the private sector and some core State missions have even been weakened by this reform.