The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is reminding the industry that 11 March 2018 is World Plumbing Day.

Initiated by the World Plumbing Council (WPC), World Plumbing Day highlights the global water and sanitation crisis, while also promoting the important role that plumbing plays in the health and safety of modern society.

While here in the UK, we feel a million miles away from dangers of severe water shortages and the sanitation crisis seen in the developing world; that is not to say that all UK water systems are safe. With longstanding issues such as hot water scalding, Legionnaires Disease, lead in pipework and pollution caused by plumbing misconnections, we are still very much living in a time where even first world plumbing problems can be deadly.

Kevin Wellman, CEO of the CIPHE, said: “Days such as World Plumbing Day highlight both the good and the bad in our vital and vibrant industry. We know the health of the nation sits on having safe, clean drinking water and effective sanitation. While the majority of tradespeople are out there working to an exceptional standard, each year people are still being severely injured and killed by poorly designed, installed and maintained plumbing systems.

“Plumbers are also on the frontline in the fight to conserve water, while safekeeping our families and the environment we live in. At the CIPHE, we believe that education and knowledge is the key to fighting a variety of problems in the industry. We wholeheartedly celebrate the role that plumbers make to our everyday lives, but still recognise more needs to be done to make all plumbing systems safe and sustainable.”

You can keep up-to-date with the latest news and events online by logging onto www.worldplumbingday.org or following @WPlumbingDay on Twitter.