OPINION PIECE 19
Plumbing in the last 40 years – a personal reflection
By
Patrick Gordon
For some, it might be a bit of a stretch to cast our minds back 40 years. Some of you weren’ t even born yet, and others like me have to really concentrate to dig out memories from that part of the archive. But it’ s fascinating to look at how far the plumbing industry has come in just four decades.
I remember the days when we’ d need four strong lads just to load a cast iron bath onto the truck. Then there were the trips to the supplier to load up on all the earthenware pipes and fittings we needed for the week. And that wasn’ t even the worst of it. When we worked above ground, we had to deal with old spigot-and-socket cast iron pipes and fittings. Those had to be caulked with rope-type packing, then topped off with molten lead. I’ m sure many old plumbers can relate to the scars from those kinds of joints. If any moisture was trapped in the joint, it would turn to steam and blow the molten lead back at you. It was dangerous work – no doubt about it. Yet, we had no choice but to get on with it, and somehow, we survived!
The perception of plumbing: From ' dirty work ' to cuttingedge technology These days, many people think plumbing has become too easy, that anybody could do it. After all, we don’ t even make our own steel flashings anymore – we just pop down to the plumbing merchant and buy what we need. But is that really the whole story?
While the physical side of the job has definitely become less taxing, plumbing has evolved into something far more technical. New technologies require specialised skillsets that most people outside of the industry might not even be aware of. Take, for instance, installations involving solar panels and heat pumps. To stay current, plumbers need to take extra courses to become proficient in these systems.
And let’ s not forget about the tools we use today. When you visit a job site now, it’ s not uncommon for a plumber to show up with a laser measuring device and a laptop. In fact, I’ ve seen systems that allow a quote to be emailed to a customer while we’ re still on site, all while we’ re working with complex energy-efficient systems. It’ s a far cry from the days when you were more likely to be dealing with a wrench and a grimy pipe under a sink.
The rise of women in plumbing One thing that has really stood out to me in recent years is the growing number of women entering the plumbing industry. When I visit training colleges, at least 50 % of the students are young women – far more than in the past. It’ s not the old stereotype of people ' settling ' for plumbing as a trade because they couldn’ t find anything else. These women are passionate about making a difference in the industry, and they’ re doing so in a big way.
It’ s even more exciting to see women starting their own plumbing businesses, taking on leadership roles, and running successful companies. It’ s a massive shift from the days when the image of a plumber was that of a burly, suntanned man with a plumber’ s crack showing while he bends down. The plumbing industry is becoming more diverse, more inclusive and more innovative, and I think that’ s a positive change for everyone.
Pipe relining: A game-changer for modern plumbing Another area that’ s completely transformed plumbing is pipe relining. With the state of many old infrastructures, we’ re dealing with some real challenges. Properties that were once single-family homes have been subdivided, and now sewer and water supply lines are running under concrete slabs or even entire buildings.
In the past, this would have meant major excavation work to reroute the system. Now, thanks to pipe relining technology, we can repair the pipes without digging up the ground or demolishing structures. It’ s more efficient, less disruptive, and much easier for both us and the homeowners.
We’ re also using heat-sensitive cameras to trace old and existing pipelines. These cameras help us pinpoint leaks or identify potential issues in concealed pipes – something that used to be a guessing game. The ability to work so precisely and efficiently is another example of how the profession has evolved over time.
Closing thoughts: A profession in transition Looking back, it’ s amazing to see how plumbing has evolved from what was once considered a dirty, manual labour job into a highly technical, specialised field. Yes, the physical demands may have lessened, but the level of expertise required has certainly grown. We’ ve gone from using heavy materials like cast iron and lead, to working with advanced systems like solar, heat pumps and digital diagnostics.
There’ s no doubt that plumbing is now a more diverse, progressive and tech-savvy profession. And, as someone who’ s been in the industry for years, it’ s exciting to see how it continues to change. Sure, I’ ll always have a bit of nostalgia for the ' old days ', but I can’ t help but appreciate the advancements we’ ve made. It’ s a good time to be in plumbing – and the future looks even brighter.
How do you feel about all of these changes? Do you miss the old ways, or are you as excited as I am about where the industry is heading? PA
© Plumbing Africa
November 2025 Volume 31 I Number 09 www. plumbingafrica. co. za