14. The Water Was Unhygienic, and Often Too Dirty to Drink
Earlier on this list, we mentioned how people relieved themselves in local streams, lakes, and rivers. Because of this, a lot of the freshwater was too dirty to drink. This especially became a huge problem during the plague, and water became synonymous with disease. Some cities tried to find a solution to this problem by drilling wells, but they often became polluted by groundwater contamination. The same issue happened with bath houses and laundry workers. They would try to keep well water strictly for sanitation, but it was sometimes impossible to keep it clean. Instead of water, people drank wine, beer, or ale with nearly every meal. This means that people had an incredibly high tolerance for alcohol, and may have been drunk every night.