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Exemplary Civilization in Sustainable Water Management from
The Perspective of Environmental History: The Ottoman State

Guards, Watermen, Sergeants, Carpenters, Craftsman for Luting (Löküncü)
and Water-Bearers. These systems were implemented in densely populated
cities, especially in İstanbul, Bursa, etc., under the Water Administration, but the
foundations (waqfs) continued their activities in the transmission and extraction
of water (Uçar, 2017). The top managers in the foundation water administration
continued their duties as the Imperial Water Superintendent (Hassa su nazırı) or the
Water Staff Superintendent (Suyolcular nazırı). Considering the responsibilities of
the Water Superintendents, who have important tasks in the overcrowded cities,
it can be said that they are equivalent to the General Director of State Hydraulic
Works (DSİ) of today. The officers in the subdivision of Water Superintendents
were called Watermen (Suyolcular). In addition, Water Superintendents represent
one of the three professional assistants of the city, including the Chief Architect,
the Superintendent of Water, and the Waste Yard Officer (Tabakoğlu, 2015). This
interrelated system shows the existence of an integrated water management
approach of the period, but also ensures the supervision of the institutions. In
the water administration of the Ottoman state, which was developed and
institutionalized over time, it can be observed that there was a meticulous
approach to the complete fulfillment of tasks. The state administration
showed due diligence in this matter and did not hesitate to terminate the
employment of people who did not fulfill their duties in water management.
As an example, the decision no. HH 4283/1219 mentions that the Water
Superintendent was dismissed from his post and sent into exile because he
caused the water shortage in Istanbul and did not carry out the necessary
repair and maintenance works. In the same ruling, it is stated that he was
replaced by a more competent person and that he was ordered to take care
of the protection of the water conduits, to clean the conduits, to repair the
reservoirs and to exempt some villages from taxes (Gültepe, 2000). As it can
be seen from this judgment, the Ottoman state achieved significant gains in
the functioning of the water management system as a result of the supervision
exercised over this system. Even the recurrence of similar incidents was
prevented by the imposition of severe punishments.

The Ottoman Water Officials
The Ottoman Empire, based on its religious beliefs, had always been striving
to bring water to settlements that lacked water. At that time, people had to
walk long distances in order to reach the wells, public fountains, which were
important for the transfer of water and indicators of civilization, and which were
built in order to meet the water needs. In this case, the Ottoman state treated
the issue with great care and assigned people to distribute water in order to
meet the water needs, which ended up transforming this duty into a profession.
This profession was called “saka” (water-bearer), which expresses the meaning

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