FEATURES 15
World Plumbing Day
by
Tanya Olckers
World Plumbing Day ’ s theme for 2025 is ‘ Plumbing is More ’.
Plumbing is more than fixing a broken toilet or installing a new kitchen . Plumbing is more than digging trenches or designing a backup water system . It ’ s an industry that has a much larger impact than most people realise . It is more than the guy you phone when there is a leak on your property . Plumbing is the beginning of health and wellbeing for communities and societies .
The consequences of inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene are dire . These things , which we may take for granted , and which we may consider simple in the grand scheme of things , could lead to sickness and even death when neglected . Yes , focus should be on medical and healthcare in all countries on the African continent , however it ’ s important to remember that good health begins with good sanitation , and access to clean water .
This is the job of the plumber .
Diseases ( like cholera and typhoid ) and diseases caused by parasites , can be reduced through access to sanitation and clean water for drinking and washing . This alone could result in improved community health .
Without the plumber to supply that clean water and to provide the infrastructure needed for proper sanitation , we might as well be living in the Middle Ages . The reality is that there are communities in South Africa and on the continent that don ’ t have this access to clean water and sanitation , and this contributes to poor health among these communities .
According to the United Nations , safe drinking water and sanitation are basic human rights . In spite of that , however , according to the World Health Organization ( WHO ), there are still 2.2 billion people on the planet who do not have safely managed water services , 4.2 billion people don ’ t have safely managed water treatment systems and 3 billion people don ’ t have adequate , basic handwashing facilities .
What this means is that one in three people globally do not have access to safe drinking water . According to the United Nations World Water Development Report ( 2024 ): Water for Peace and Prosperity , “ when water is scarce , polluted or difficult to access , food security can be undermined , livelihoods lost , and conflict can follow .”
That ’ s a rather large burden for any plumber to carry . However , in some way – whether directly or indirectly – the plumber is part of the solution .
The UN report illustrates that lower income countries , like those found in Asia and Africa , have
March 2025 Volume 31 I Number 01 www . plumbingafrica . co . za