The management of drinking water in Trondheim from 950 to 1777 as a source for attitudes towards health

Abstract

This article aims to illuminate how the management of drinking water and public health in Trondheim, Norway changed from 950 to 1777, from a private to public responsibility. A systematic analysis of five excavations in Trondheim shows that during the Middle Ages, only a few citizens had a well or a cistern on their property. This suggests that fetching water from above-ground sources was a regular practice. In the post-medieval period, this changed as the number of wells increased. However, the well water got polluted, and alternative water sources were too far away for the rising population. 18th-century political ideas emphasised how the citizens were now the state’s greatest resource, which prompted new mentalities on how authorities had to take care of the people. In 1777, the public authorities of Trondheim finally established a public water pipe system, ensuring clean water to its citizens.