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Plumbing Through the Years
Water is an important element for survival and plumbing has played a major part in how civilizations have evolved. Plumbing came during ancient civilisations when cities were developing and needed ways to irrigate their crops and provide wastewater removal and potable water. There is an eventful history when it comes to the evolution of plumbing through the years. The following article intends to take you on a plumbing journey through the years and the significant moments in plumbing that have left a lasting impact.
In year 2600 BC, the first system of pipes to carry water from one place to the next was built in the Indus Valley Civilisation in South Asia. In 1596, John Harrington invented the first flushing toilet and gifted it to his godmother, Queen Elizabeth. A great gift indeed, except for the fact that the queen was afraid to use it due to the noises it made. The year 1600 saw the conceptual stage of the shower and in 1652, the first city water system was built in Boston, USA. This system was to be used to fight fires as well as for domestic use.
In 1767, William Feetham created and patented first mechanical shower. People were skeptical to make use of the shower as hot baths were more commonly preferred at the time. The 19th century saw even more advancements being made. Between 1804 and 1810 Philadelphia became the first city to move from wooden log pipes to a cast-iron system. This durable system would allow users to have a better regulation of water pressure. In 1857, the first sewer system was created in England, and in 1952 the first non-metallic pipes were introduced. At every stage of creation and invention, the creators ensured that users would have far better experiences than they had previously had.
Great Strides have been made in the times since the 19th century and the 20th century saw the creation of the first standardized plumbing codes as well as, the first water conservation laws. Hygiene and sanitation are necessities we should never take for granted and plumbing continues to play a vital role in the advancement of humanity with the creation of systems that make all our lives better.
Writtern by Keke Khabele