Interesting Facts About the History of Indoor Plumbing You Should Know

These days, for homeowners and other residents, water is just about the easiest thing in the world. You turn a tap, and hot or cold running water comes out. It’s even safe to drink or cook with.

And if you use a toilet, it’s the same deal; a simple flush and the waste is gone, you don’t even have to think about it anymore.

That ability to “fire and forget” is the result of a complex network of pipes, heaters, pumps, filters, and other indoor plumbing technology that’s been carefully designed to work without you ever needing even to see it.

While it’s easy to trust and rely on today, it took us thousands of years of engineering progress to get to this point.

Water Is Civilization

For the ancient Egyptians, access to water wasn’t a matter of convenience; it was critical to survival. The Nile River was the only source of reliable water for this culture, but it was impossible to have homes and farms all hugging the shore of the river.

The invention of clay pipes allowed the Egyptians to carry water further inland. It even helped to advance their metallurgy as they discovered the usefulness of copper for pipes, a material that is still in use in some plumbing even now.

The Romans took this to the next level, building massive aqueducts that carried more water even further. But they had a breakthrough when they built their aqueducts to branch out, allowing water to flow directly into specific homes for the first mass indoor plumbing project.

Then they went further, taking hollowed out elm logs and using them as a pioneering experiment in sewage management to better carry waste out of populated areas.

Advancement Is Not Guaranteed

Most science and engineering techniques improve with time, but there are exceptions. One of the most notable is the step backwards experienced by French royalty like Marie Antoinette in the 18th century.

She was famous for her early use of perfume, but it was a defensive measure. She and her court smelled horrible. The reason for that is simple; they only bathed once a month, and that was because these top-class French palaces had no indoor plumbing.

So not only was drinking and cooking water hard to bring in, but waste disposal also didn’t exist. That means that all these nobles and courtiers had no access to toilets, and so both liquid and solid human waste could be found in all parts of these palaces, on rugs, pooling on floors, even in royal chambers.

No More Worries

It’s almost shocking to think that the typical 21st century American has a more luxurious life in terms of water access than 18th-century royalty, but it’s true. Modern showers and baths provide both hot and cold running water.

Appliances like dishwashers can clean up plates and utensils by themselves, and toilets safely move waste away, protecting entire households from exposure to bacteria and other contagions that could impact health.

Should anything go wrong, there’s still no reason to lose your cool, things are well at hand. There are companies like Ira Hansen & Sons that have years of experience helping homes and businesses in Reno, NV with any breaks, mishaps, or other issues that need a quality repair.