This article analyses the preserved sources of a normative nature concerning Toruń’s rivers – the artificial stream bed of Struga, called the Bacha, dug in the second half of the thirteenth century, and the natural river courses: the Postolsk and the Vistula. The overwhelming majority of the surviving sources in this category (city statutes (Willküren, Pol. wilkierze) and municipal ordinances) concern the Struga, which was the focus of attention. The study points out the varying valuation of river waters in medieval and early modern Toruń. The waters of the Struga were protected by municipal legislation as life‑giving and important for the health of the inhabitants of the suburbs and the city. The river’s function as an integrating factor for the inhabitants of the suburbs, especially Mokre, is evident.
The article examines for the first time the role of Mokre’s inhabitants in maintaining the Struga Toruńska riverbed; it is also the first analysis of the legal regulations concerning this watercourse in the context of its socio‑economic role. In the light of the preserved source material, it can be concluded that it was mainly the inhabitants of Mokre and the owners of the plots there (fields, meadows, gardens, vineyards, etc.) who were delegated to carry out the maintenance work around the Struga riverbed. They were obliged to cut the reed beds and grass, and to remove mulch and remnants of fallen foliage from the banks in order to provide good quality water for the town. In the event of an attack, the Bacha and the Postolsk performed a protective function – they fed the moats, facilitating the defence of the town walls. On a daily basis, the waters of these streams provided good conditions for fish farming, the operation of mills, wells, baths and the development of various crafts. The Vistula, on the other hand, was rarely mentioned in municipal legislation. It was as an untamed and destructive element, which more than once devastated the city, but at the same time facilitated rapid transport and communication. Its swift current was considered a purifier, and hence rubbish and food waste was disposed of in the river.