Final answer:
To improve city sanitation in the late 1800s, city governments constructed and updated sewer systems, enacted public health laws, and improved urban planning to manage waste and address public health concerns.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the late 1800s, city governments took several actions to improve city sanitation and combat the spread of disease resulting from the industrial revolution's impact on urban areas. These actions included the construction and modernization of sewer systems, as seen with the work of Joseph Bazalgette who engineered London's sewer system following The Great Stink of 1858.
Governments also passed laws aimed at improving public health, such as Britain's Public Health Act of 1848 and subsequent pollution ordinances in the United States, which targeted smoke emissions and other pollutants, although these laws were not always effectively enforced.
On a related front, urban planning initiatives were introduced to create cleaner living conditions. These included the building of public toilets and infrastructure developments, such as flushing toilets and more extensive sewer systems, to manage waste more efficiently.
Efforts extended to improved housing regulations and the clearing of slums, alongside social reforms like free education and the reorganization of urban spaces to minimize health hazards posed by poor sanitation. These measures collectively helped reduce disease outbreaks and improved the overall health and living standards in cities.