How Plumbing Changed the World

Imagine a world where we still have to go to outhouses when nature calls. Or we could only take baths by boiling water scooped from a nearby stream.

Without clean water and a means to dispose of waste, humanity would still be stuck in the dark ages.

That’s why we celebrate World Plumbing Day on March 11, and you should, too!

Plumbing in the Empire

Plumbing has been around for centuries. The Greek and Roman Empires created aqua ducts to transport water from reservoirs and lakes into the homes of people living in their empires’ more civilized areas.

Farmers also used these aqueducts to irrigate their crops. And these industrious fifth-century engineers even devised ways to use hot springs to create running hot water indoors.

In fact, the world’s first flushing toilets were at the Palace of Knossos on Crete in Greece.

Plumbing in America

In the United States, settlers, who were used to simply tossing out their waste on the streets of Europe, began copying the Native Americans’ more sanitary practices. They would discharge of their waste in waterways, forests or open fields to keep it away from their living spaces.

It wouldn’t be until the 19^th Century when America would develop more efficient water and sewage systems. In 1829, architect Isaiah Rogers wowed the world when he added indoor plumbing to the Tremont Hotel in Boston. He went on to design the Astor House Hotel in New York City, which featured 17 rooms with water closets that could serve 300 people.

By the late 1800s, the water closet was standard in most finer private homes. And, by the early 1900s, most homes throughout the Northeast had bathrooms. It wasn’t until the expansion of the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1930s that the practice was more widely adopted in the South.

But, by the 1950s, indoor plumbing was simply the standard.

Keeping it Clean

Modern plumbing is not only convenient, it also keeps us healthy. Without pipes to bring fresh water into our homes and take waste out of them, we would suffer from dozens of repeated epidemics.

Water is the source of many infectious diseases, including cholera and typhoid fever. By having clean, running water, Americans can push disease away from our homes and into sewer treatment plants.

This is why your Brooklyn plumbing experts at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning encourage everyone to celebrate World Plumbing Day this month. You can thank a plumber, attend a celebration, use the #WorldPlumbingDay hashtag on social media or simply flush your toilet.

And, if you need help fixing your plumbing, Petri can help. We’ve been repairing Brooklyn’s plumbing problems since 1906. Just give us a call at (718) 748-1254 or contact us online to book one of our trusted and well-trained plumbers.