HEALTH AND SANITATION : INTERNATIONAL
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by the spread of the bubonic plague that would kill over a third of the population .
Our story picks up again in the early 20th century in the United States , a country that was going through sizable growing pains . Having successfully avoided much of the horror of World War I , America was the only superpower to come through the war relatively unscathed . But all was certainly not well in a very literal sense . In the year 1918 , a disease had begun to spread among the soldiers huddling in the poor conditions of the trenches . It wouldn ’ t be long before one of these unlucky individuals would bring the virus home to their local towns and municipalities . Before all was said and done , the pandemic that would become known as the Spanish flu would have mortality rates anywhere between 50 million and 100 million , or three to five per cent of the world ’ s inhabitants . While the Spanish flu had many causes , it became very clear that poor sanitary conditions among large populations in close proximity could result in devastating effects and untold tragedy . With this event fresh in collective memory , it became imperative to pursue solutions to this issue to avoid another catastrophe of this scale .
In 1926 , a group of plumbing inspectors in Los Angeles began to note an alarming wave of disease that correlated with improper sanitation being used in the city ’ s infrastructure . After much research and observation , they noted that plumbing codes varied widely from area to area . Oftentimes , the methods and equipment would conflict and this was contributing to an extremely disorganised industry , rife with inefficiency . It was at this point that these inspectors decided to make a real change and create a uniform , universal code that laid out an industry standard that would guarantee a safe and effective system . This massive undertaking , as created by these original 39 inspectors , would come to be known as the Uniform Plumbing Code . believe to be the most important mission of IAPMO going into the future . While plumbing may never be as fashionable as something like finance , one would be wise to remember that the humble plumber has even been admired by royalty . When Queen Victoria ’ s son , Prince Edward , came down with a near fatal case of typhoid , it was a crafty plumber who discovered and fixed the broken water closet that had bred the disease . After his recovery , the young prince was quick to exclaim that if he were not a prince , he would rather be a plumber . Indeed , the prince was onto something , for it was the plumber , not the monarch , who helped to shape modern society as we know it today . In the spirit of the original founders of IAPMO , I believe we must always strive to do better and to continue to help our fellow man . PA
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials , otherwise known as IAPMO , has been in existence since 1926 .
The Uniform Plumbing Code , or UPC , is an ever-evolving document that brings together a wide variety of expertise to create a comprehensive guide to promote the best plumbing practices for the public ’ s health , safety , and overall welfare . To stay at the very cutting edge of technology , the document is constantly revised to reflect innovation and new developments in the industry . Revisions are made by consensus and the organisation welcomes a diverse array of professional opinion and volunteer viewpoints to create a standard that is recognised across the United States and the world alike . Designated as an American National Standard , the UPC is an impressive document , indeed , but there is still much work to be done to continue to spread its adoption . As I type this sentence , approximately 17 % of the world ’ s population , or 1.1 billion people , are without clean drinking water and 41 %, or 2.6 billion , is without proper sanitation . These types of conditions have resulted in masses of children with worm infections that can lead to developmental problems and increased infant mortality rates . Even in our very own backyard , many residents of Alaska and other rural areas have inadequate plumbing architecture . What many of us take for granted can often spell the difference between an individual realising their potential and descending into the clutches of poverty .
In conclusion , I believe the Uniform Plumbing Code to be a vital step in providing clean water and proper sanitation on a global platform , which I
March 2017 Volume 23 I Number 1