Plumbing History

History Of Plumbing

Introduction

• Plumbing is the art and science of installing pipes and fixtures.
• Plumbing also includes safely conveying and supplying water in buildings.
• It involves disposing of wastewater, liquids, and gases in a healthy way to ensure life sanitation and property.
• A plumber is skilled in sanitation, derived from the Roman word 'plumbarius' and the Latin word 'plumbum'.
• Plumbarlus refers to someone who worked in the sanitary field of ancient Rome.
• 'Plumbum' means lead, a metal the Romans used for plumbing because it was malleable and resistant to acid.

Ancient Plumbing

• 2900 BC: Rudimentary plumbing systems were in use.
• 312 BC: The Romans began using aqueducts to bring water into Rome.
• 100 AD: Lead pipes were widely used in ancient Roman cities, potentially contributing to that empire's downfall.

The Dark Ages

• 500 AD to 1400 AD, after Rome's fall: Sanitation was neglected due to social and cultural decline.
• Mid-1300s: Sanitation started returning to European cities, with London laying its first water supply pipe.
• 1625: England enacted the first apprenticeship laws for plumbing, and other countries started developing water supply systems.
• 1596: The first known water closets were built in England by Sir Jon Harrington, godson of Queen Elizabeth I, but widespread use took another 200 years.
• 1775: Alexander Cumming invented the S-trap, which is the precursor of today's toilet traps.
• 1848: England passed the National Public Safety Act.

Modern Plumbing

• 1666: After London's Great Fire, citizens formed firefighting brigades and expanded the city's water supply.
• The United States became responsible for plumbing technology and health and safety standard advances.
• 1652: Boston developed the first waterworks using wood pipes for fire fighting and private use.
• 1804: Philadelphia started using cast iron piping for water mains.
• Mid-1800s: American homes had outdoor privies supplied by wells or cisterns.
• Middle of the 19th century: The U.S. began developing practical water and sewage systems however, wastewater treatment remained a problem.
• Scientists later discovered that treating water supplies with chlorine would kill deadly bacteria.
• 20th century: Thermoplastic and thermoset plastic compounds were developed.
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), developed in the 1930s, became the first plastic used in plumbing.
• 1911: Kohler Company developed the first one-piece recessed bath, replacing earlier two-section designs.
• 1926: Kohler introduced the electric sink, which is a combination of a conventional sink and electric dishwasher.
• 21st century: Societies globally recognized the need for wise use of natural resources, especially fresh water.
• Current efforts include rainwater harvesting, gray water reuse, and creating bio swales.
• 1993: The non-profit US Green Building Council developed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
• LEED provides contractors with improved methods for green building.

Plumbing in the Philippines

• The plumbing profession began in the 17th century as Spaniards established Intramuros as a model community.
• 1902: The plumbing trade was duly recognized by the government.
• John F. Hass became the 1st chief of the division of plumbing construction and construction.
• Based on the US plumbing code, a plumbing code was incorporated into Manila's building code.
• 1935: The National Master Plumbers Association of the Philippines (NAMPAP) was organized and registered with the SEC.
• The city ordinance 2411 known as the plumbing code for the city of Manila was enacted with the consultation of NAMPAP.
• 1954: The Republic Act No. 1378, approved in 1954, was the 3rd congress in the Philippines
• June 28, 1955: President Ramon Magsaysay signed R.A. 1378, known as "The Plumbing Code of the Philippines".
• December 21, 1999: Joseph Ejercito Estrada approved the revised Plumbing Code of 1999.

Plumbing basics

• Basic systems include potable water supply and distribution pipes plumbing fixtures and traps.
• Systems address the sanitary and storm drainage: vent pipes, roof drains, leaders and downspouts.
• Systems deal with building drains and sewers, including respective joints devices, receptacles inside and outside the property.

Objectives Of Plumbing

• Plumbing aims to supply water throughout buildings and remove human waste.
• Providing sufficient water and preventing back flow of used water, will supply building effectively.
• Drainage system should remove waste minimizing probability of leakage.
• Furthermore, drainage systems should prevent house vermin and noxious gases into the piping system.