Namely, the plumber protects the health of the nation by providing sanitation, that prevents the contamination of our precious water supply from deathly bacteria that causes dysentery, polio, cholera, and typhoid fever, among others.  Yes indeed, though it seems hard to believe, there was a time in the not so distant past when plagues wound their way through whole countries,  mysteriously  wiping out populations, until it was discovered that tainted communal wells or water supplies were the source of the diseases.

It makes sense then that separating potable and non-potable water has a long and important history in plumbing.  And many of these life-saving innovations are alive and well in our homes today.  For example, have you ever wondered why a faucets spout is always above the rim of a basin? Or about those pesky apparatuses on a hose bib? Or perhaps why there's a check valve in the handheld shower? Or why-o-why do i need an expensive valve that requires yearly certification on a boiler feed line?  

The answer is that a ll fixtures and faucets have to meet strict sanitation standards from manufacturing to installation, thanks to  IAPMO, the  international  association that writes all of our codes, and diligently works to set and maintain sanitary requirements worldwide.  This is why the  bulk of a plumber's training deals with sanitary codes and practices,  which  grow ever more important as our populations increase and urban environments become denser and denser.  

Here are some specific terms and definitions of plumbing "Gizmos" that protect the health of the nation:

Air gap: the free, vertical distance, between a potable water source and a drain: the space between the aerator on a faucet and its basin, that funny looking metal shot-glass-like device on the counter that the dishwasher drain ties into.

Back flow device: a testable device that prevents a pressurized potable water connection - that is tied directly into a non potable assembly - from contamination: fire sprinkler connection, boiler feed.

 

And here is a great illustration of potential disasters these devices are designed to prevent: 

It's beautiful Summer morning and someone is watering their lawn (in this story the drought is over due to sustainable Green Plumbing practices, and responsible water users!)  Attached to their hose is a convenient fertilizer canister that helps keep their lawn looking good. Nice!

All of the sudden, the water flowing out of the hose sputters and drops to a trickle. As the person turns around to inspect their hose and its bib, they notice a large plume of smoke coming from a house down the hill. As soon as they remove their earbuds the sounds of emergency  sirens  can be heard, and lo-and-behold you can see people on the roof of the smoking house with hoses. 

They rush out of the garden to get a closer view of the calamity down the street, forgetting to turn off their hose bib in all of the hoopla. As the fire is being fought and the neighborhood nervously awaits the outcome of the fire, something else, quite invisible and hazardous is happening: the fertilizer in the hose assembly is now being back siphoned into the City main! Since m ost fire supply mains are branched off of domestic water mains,  when full pressure is finally restored to the system the fertilizer has the potential to contaminate an entire block and possibly an entire neighborhood's water supply! 

The good news is that now, thanks to cumulative human intelligence - and responsible partnering between your educated plumber and local enforcement entities - we can prevent any possibility of accidental contamination with a simple device that screws onto a hose bib.

And, as we are always seeking better ways of protecting the health of the nation, saving energy & water and integrating scientific advances into each and every home we encounter, we train our team to understand new technology and the science that is at the foundation of what we do: fluid mechanics, physics, water saving technology, and energy saving technology, because applied science in action creates safety, innovation and meaningful change!