Engineering standards and technological traits are reasonably well documented for urban water supply and wastewater removal systems both in classical antiquity and medieval Europe. Their systematic investigation is only just beginning for the medieval Islamic city. In the written sources one may find general references to achievements in hydraulic engineering. However, they usually do not include a description of technical or functional details of everyday services, whose study requires archaeological excavation as an investigative tool. This paper uses as a starting point the History of Zabid by Ibn al-Dayba‘ (d. 1537). A native of that city, he spent nearly his entire life there and describes in his work the circumstances that have shaped Zabid from its foundation in 820 to the year 1518, including major water engineering schemes. From Ibn al-Dayba‘’s text we get a general sense of the significance of the water supply and wastewater removal system in medieval Zabid. Tangible evidence for this is derived from excavations. The features exposed include wells, water-storage tanks, open surface channels, covered conduits, lead water pipes, ablution facilities and toilets. Based on the archaeological context they can be dated to the 13th to 16th centuries. While the technical details provide information on the engineering skills of the builders, these features more importantly reflect upon the standards of water and waste management services that were available for ordinary people in Zabid, and thus upon the quality of life in a medieval Islamic city.