The History of Plumbing

While power flushing and boiler maintenance are current buzzwords in the vocabulary of every plumber we were not always so sophisticated. We often forget that plumbing wasn’t always so commonplace and while it’s so easy to be at awe by the Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton’s of the world, it’s just as easy to overlook the inventors of the things we use everyday. Take the toilet and the sink. Can you imagine life without them? Quite a revolting image it brings to mind if you ask us. So, for today, let’s give tribute to those who came before us who, despite limited technology, created their own version of networks of functional pipes, valve assemblies, and drain fittings to transport water to man and to eliminate waste. It’s time to delve into the history of plumbing.

Plumbing in Ancient Times

Facing the pressing need for potable water and an ever-increasing popularity of public baths, ancient cities all over the world were known to employ the rudiments of plumbing. On the isle of Crete, for example, the Minoan Palace of Knossos employed a total of four drainage systems that led to massive stone-made sewers. In around 700 B.C., the very first sewers were built in Rome. One of the biggest ancient sewer systems ever built, the Cloaca Maxima amazingly continues to serve its purpose to this very day. Still in Rome, a man named Appius Claudius invented the first aqueduct that expedited water transportation, which was previously done by hand. Plumbing did not generate so much attention after the creation of the aqueduct until the widespread outbreak of illnesses and disease. Ancient cities had to devise plans for better waste disposal, which included disposing water-borne waste. Plumbing took the front seat and became a permanent part of human existence ever since.

Taking Care of Business

Before the automatic flushing toilets of today, the latrine took care of “business”. It was in the 16th century that Sir John Harington created what was known as the water closet. It took two centuries before Alexandar Cumming, also an Englishman, successfully patented the forerunner of the modern-day toilet.

The sink, on the other hand, is an American invention. It took inspiration from English washstands that were used for washing hands and for dishwashing. Initially, wood was used until better materials proved to be the most apt substitutes.

Installing plumbing systems that would go with these inventions was the inevitable next step. With these two becoming mandatory fixtures in every home and building all over the world thanks to the initial efforts of The National Public Health Act passed in England in 1848, plumbing advanced to its present sophisticated state, constantly evolving to meet an ever-growing demand.

Plumbing Jargon

Just as plumbing has a rich history, the terms used in the plumbing universe also has their own unique etymology. Remember, during ancient times, plumbing had to settle for wood and earthenware for materials. It consequently levelled up to lead upon the discovery of this lustrous metal. To successfully use lead as plumbing material, cities had to employ skilled workers with lead. The Latin word for lead is “plumbum” while the lead worker is called a “plumbarius”. These words are where the terms plumbing and plumber come from respectively.

The impact of plumbing too often is not only overlooked, it is usually ridiculed. With the knowledge of the history of plumbing, we can attest to its vast importance. Without the excellent work of the great plumbers wouldn’t have central heating or boilers and cold radiators would be the least of our worries. Plumbing, in all its seeming mundane existence, is, without a doubt, indispensable to man.