ASSOCIATIONS 3
From the Executive Director
Contributed by Brendan Reynolds
Get back to basics this year , and build a solid foundation for the plumbing industry .
Foundations are important . You can ’ t build a stable structure without it . Just imagine building a house on beach sand . It would take one wave to smash the building to pieces . Foundations are the most important part of anything one wants to build – and that includes a successful plumbing industry .
Plumbers are touted as the first line of defence when it comes to the health of a society . We are at the very foundation of health . It ’ s a powerful realisation . When we consider how much communities rely on us to bring them safe water and waste removal , along with all of the other services we provide , we can see how important it is for us as plumbers to focus on the basics of our own vocation .
What are those basics ? Simply put , our personal foundation in the plumbing industry is our qualifications and the use of compliant products . As 2024 got under way , we became aware of how much more carefully these two important things ( qualifications and compliant products ) are being monitored .
We know that we are working with the most valuable commodity in the world : water . We also know that we are facing considerable challenges when it comes to reconditioned geysers , non-compliant copper tube , and fly-by-night people doing plumbing work who are unqualified and who bring down the reputation of those who put in the work and the studying to become respected in the business .
This then , is where we begin – where we build the foundation . It ’ s time to get back to the basics of being a plumber . The foundation . Not only do we make sure that water flows to communities , but we also help to protect those communities and the environment around them . And to be able to do this to the best of our ability , we
Plumbing Africa
Brendan Reynolds .
need the proper qualifications and to work with compliant products and systems .
This doesn ’ t just ensure that we know what we ’ re doing . It also instils confidence in the client making use of our services . When we can show we have studied , that we are qualified , we are showing our clients that their health and a safe environment as far as water is concerned , is our highest priority .
By the same token , if we are showing our clients that we are using quality , compliant products , we are giving them a sense of security . This doesn ’ t just go a long way for repeat business – it touches all aspects of the industry and those involved in it , raising us above the role of worker and handyman to artisan . PA
February 2024 Volume 29 I Number 12 www . plumbingafrica . co . za