How Montrealers got squeaky clean before they had plumbing
This is Montreal

How Montrealers got squeaky clean before they had plumbing

2026-07-02

Water restrictions this summer have brought the importance of clean running water into focus. But how did Montrealers get clean before they had indoor plumbing? For much of Montreal’s history, it was a dangerous proposition: People risked drowning in the Saint-Lawrence river or catching diseases from a backyard privy. The solution? Public baths. Reporter Gloria Henriquez dives into the history of Montreal’s public baths — and why not everyone was allowed to use them at first.

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