Clean Water In The Aztecs

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As a result of their central location in Mexico and local water supply, the Aztec community served as an effective setting for trade. The Aztec community had a high population density and was known for having a large transient population (157). These factors can contribute to the spread of disease if proper measures are not put into action. Large populations increase the amount of waste produced and the demand for water. While the initiatives to maintain public health were effective, some also had negative consequences, such as the discarding of waste. The Aztecs implemented mechanisms to deliver and preserve clean water, had effective ways to dispose of dead bodies and established, and methods to maintain public spaces in order to prevent the spread of disease and support the well-being of the community. The availability of clean water was a key concern of the Aztec community in order to complete activities such as cooking and bathing. In order to provide portable water, the Aztecs used clay conduits to deliver water …show more content…

The Aztecs discovered the economic value of human waste by using it for salt making, tanning, and fertilizer (158). While these practices reduced the overall amount of waste, they also increased the community’s risk of being exposed to illness. The use of excrement as fertilizer allowed the pathogens to return to the soil and survive and therefore infect members of the community (159). Once the excrement was on the ground, it could also reach water sources through runoff and pollute them. The Aztecs also placed restrictions on locations that bodily functions could occur (158). These methods for disposing of waste were effective at reducing the overall contact with noxious materials, they also placed the community at risk if the maladies were able to pollute water sources or flourish in the

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