tIn 16th-century Europe, the Cistercian order comprised some 750 abbeys and 1,000 monasteries of monks and nuns. The monks were constantly concerned with sanitation and hygiene. Their knowledge of Latin would suggest that they were drawn to Roman hydraulics as described in numerous works. The water supply of abbeys, such as Royaumont, was taken into account from the time of construction. The monks chose a site with rivers that they did not hesitate to divert to create ponds for fish farming. Royaumont thus had two separate networks for waste water and drinking water. A luxury for the time.