Do It Right
History of Plumbing
This is a very brief outline of interesting facts on the history of plumbing.
3000 B.C. - Egypt builds basins to contain the flood water and digs canals and irrigation ditches to reclaim marshes.
2500 B.C - Egypt has an extensive system of dikes, canals, & sluices. They were used until Roman occupation circa 30BC – 641 AD.
1700 B.C. - Minoan Palace of Knossas on the Isle of Crete featured 4 separate drainage systems that emptied into stone sewers. Terra Cotta pipe beneath the floors provided water fountains and hot & cold water faucets. It also had the first flushing toilet. Unfortunately, the concept of the toilet was not seen again until the 16th century.
1500 B.C. - Moses instructs his people to bury their human waste away from camp.
1200 B.C. - Jerusalem had water tunnels from the city that tapped into a water source just outside the city walls.
800 B.C. to 735 B.C. First Roman sewers were built. The ancient
sewer The Cloaca Maxima is still in use.
312 B.C. - First Roman aqueduct built. It spanned 11 miles and was used to transport water.
52 A.D. - Roman aqueduct system had 220 miles of channels and carried about 300 gallons of water for every citizen.
4th c. A.D. - Rome has 11 public baths, 1.352 public fountains & cisterns, and 856 private baths.
1596 A.D. - Sir John Harington builds the "Ajax" water closet (toilet) for Queen Elizabeth I. She uses it but he was publicly ridiculed for the idea and never built another.
1775 A.D. - Alexander Cumming receives 1st patent for a modern toilet.
1848 A.D. - England passes "Public Health Act". It would become the world’s leading plumbing code. It required every house to have a flushing toilet, privy, or ash pit.
2000 A.D. – Do It Right Plumbing & Heating Inc. established which was previously partnered with another well known plumbing company.
Master Plumber or Gas Fitter License: A license issued to anyone who successfully completes the master plumber or master gas exam issued by the prevailing licensing authority in their jurisdiction
sewer The Cloaca Maxima is still in use.