HEALTH AND SANITATION 41 systems , each of these challenges needs to be addressed individually and holistically . It is important to make sure plumbing resiliency exists from source to tap back to plant — and everything in between — or we risk creating a second-order consequence . Emergencies often focus on recovery from violent natural disasters ( such as hurricanes and tornadoes ). However , regarding plumbing , due to the short-term negative impacts ( humans can only survive for up to three days without water ) plumbing systems must bounce back more quickly . But smaller events , like the Texas freeze , can also challenge systems . Many believe that climate change likely will cause abnormal weather patterns like what happened in Texas to occur more frequently . Are our plumbing systems being designed and installed to handle these changes ? Should they be ? Is the extra cost worth it ? These are the specific questions we need to ask ourselves .
Reacting to natural disasters is only one part of developing resilient plumbing systems ; we also need to design systems to prevent disasters . Major droughts are becoming likelier in the Western United States . At the same time , we cannot recklessly reduce flow rates , or we risk increasing the prevalence of waterborne pathogens and other contaminants in our water ( among other consequences ). These competing variables need to be balanced in such a way that we do not swing too wildly and create unhealthy water , or complete drought conditions , or both . equity gaps in the short term , while creating systems to address long-term issues , is vital or we risk our country ’ s long-term health .
All of this goes back to something I have written and spoken about time and time again : we need to elevate the entire plumbing profession . This includes officials , installers , engineers , designers , and manufacturers , among others . I reference the following Peter Drucker quote often , and I believe it is appropriate here too :
“ A knowledge-based economy ( that is an economy that is directly based on production , distribution and use of knowledge and information ) requires knowledge-based workers … and that knowledge work is effective only if it is highly specialised ( e . g ., what makes a brain surgeon effective is that he is highly specialised in brain surgery , but by the same token couldn ’ t repair a damaged knee and would probably be helpless if confronted with a tropical parasite in the blood ). This is true for all knowledge work . Generalists … are of limited use in a knowledge economy . In fact , they are productive only if they themselves become specialists in managing knowledge and knowledge workers . The knowledge needed in any activity has become highly specialised . It is therefore increasingly expensive and difficult to maintain enough critical mass for every major task in an enterprise . And because knowledge rapidly deteriorates unless it is used constantly , maintaining within an organisation an activity that is used only intermittently guarantees incompetence .”
On top of these challenges , affordability for all peoples — especially those in the lowest socioeconomic position — is key . Access to water and sanitation should be a basic human right . Denying these services to various populations does not benefit society at all . One only needs to look at the Flint , Michigan , crisis for a tragic example . Finding ways to build water and sanitation equity into all new designs is key to making sure we do not create more problems down the road . Bridging water and sanitation
We need expert specialists in plumbing working together . If we give this work to generalists , that is professionals or organisations that try to ‘ do it all ’ or that ‘ try to be everything to everyone ’, we risk failure as a country . Cohesion does not matter if health and safety are at risk , and that is the risk if we do not rely on our plumbing specialists . To develop plumbing resiliency in our buildings , we need all stakeholders and experts to play their part . Our future depends on it . PA
" Plumbing resiliency is something that is unique and inherently different from building resiliency ."
September 2021 Volume 27 I Number 7 www . plumbingafrica . co . za