Where Would the World be without Plumbers?
Running water is much more than a luxury in the United States; it’s a necessity. Could you imagine not being able to take a warm shower on a cold, winter day? Or hand washing your clothes in the river after you dirty them? Us neither. Luckily for you, plumbers graced this Earth and have continued to provide us with their running water expertise since that lovely day. Plumbing seems like a fairly innocuous job, yet without plumbers, we’d be at a loss. Luckily, people, like those employed by Mojica Plumbing & Drain Clean, have a thorough understanding of both how to do proper plumbing and why proper plumbing is important.
Plumbing and running water has a long standing history dating as far back as the Romans and Greeks. Today, we thought we’d take some time to discuss the history of plumbing in the world and how we’ve made it to where we are right now! Since the time of the Romans, plumbing has continued to progress quite quickly! Here are some of our favorite moments!
First Flushing Toilet: Minoa, Crete ~2,00 BC
When you think of a toilet, at least one that flushes, you probably don’t think of an ancient invention. However, the first flushing toilet dates all the way back to before the fall of the Roman Empire on the island of Crete. Cool!
Roman Aqueducts, aka, ancient pipes: Rome ~300 BC
The famous and marvelous architectural masterpieces seen all throughout Italy aren’t too different from today’s pipelines! These huge aqueducts used to carry gallons of water across many miles as a means of accessing fresh water. Next time you visit Italy, make sure to think of your local plumbers.
First City to Implement Cast Iron Pipes: Philadelphia ~ 1830
The City of Brotherly Love took the innovative plumbing route to become the city of modern day pipes! Switching their pipes to cast iron from wooden pipes, the new pipe technology made quite the waves in the evolution of what modern day plumbing has become today!
A City Raises Itself off the Ground for a Better Sewer System: Chicago, ~1850
Chicago, before the 19th century, wasn’t quite as high as it used to be. The sewage commissioners in the Windy City noticed the city’s inability to properly drain sewage. As a solution, they spent the next twenty years raising the city off of the ground. Imagine trying to pick up Chicago and raise it up today. It probably wouldn’t go over well with the residents.
First Water Tower: Chicago, ~1860
The Old Water tower isn’t just known for its Chicago Fire survival, its significance also stems from its innovative presence in the history of plumbing and clean water. As the metropolis continued to grow at an exponential rate, the city found itself short of water. Since the water from the nearby lake was too polluted for drinking, designers put together a pipe system and water tower!
Codes Regulating Plumbing are Written: United States, 1926
Barely any type of work in the United States exists without a code and list of guidelines. In 1926 in the United States, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) wrote up a list of code regarding plumbing and safety and sanitation. Today, their code is still recognized in the world of plumbing!
