Some places even managed to get entire sewer systems buried. Granted, that happened on a very different level of urgency (you really want shit to flow, and it only flows downward), but it gives the appropriate perspective on any excuses that are based on the natural scale of infrastructure.
The point is that for sewers there was no choice so we just swallowed the cost and got on with it. For power there was so we went for the cheaper less reliable option.
