WORLD PLUMBING DAY 2022 | REPORTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

WPC members from around the world shared how they celebrated World Plumbing Day in 2022.

If you would like to add your celebration, please email secretariat@worldplumbing.org.

Celebration of World Plumbing Day in Burkina Faso (JMP-BF) Region of the Central West Koudougou

Submitted by Abdoulmatinou Sawadogo, Association of Plumbing Professionals of Burkina Faso (APP-BF)

Nobody can ignore the importance of the hygiene. To paraphrase a popular adage, “one who wants to live a long time spares his hygiene; one who speaks of hygiene refers to the household installations made by professionals in the trade who make more effort to be available and bring added value to household ownership.”

Plumbing is an essential profession nowadays, hence the affirmation of this assertion by one of the great minds of our time, Albert Einstein: “If it were to be done again, I would become a plumber,” which indicates the importance of this profession.

To this end, the World Plumbing Council (WPC), created in 1999, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2010 established a day dedicated to this profession called World Plumbing Day (WPD).

Professionals in the trade in Burkina Faso are not left out, as they are able to join the Association of Professional Plumbers of Burkina Faso.

Presentation of the Association

Created in 2018 and recognized by the Burkinabe State, the Association of Plumbing Professionals of Burkina Faso (APP-BF) is a framework for consultation between plumbers intended to offer awareness services in plumbing, to develop tools and training related to the world of plumbing and to offer a professionalizing experience to its members.

The APP-BF prohibits all forms of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity and religion. The association, led by the responsible President Mr. SAWADOGO Abdoul Matinou, is coordinated by an executive board of 24 people seeking to achieve the statutory goals through an efficient and effective mode of action. Its main objective is to promote the plumbing profession in Burkina Faso.

Background and Rationale

Access to water and sanitation is a daily struggle for most countries around the world. The countries of the South, including Burkina Faso, are the most affected by this problem. In 2016 at the national level, access rates to water and sanitation were 72.4% and 19.8%, respectively.

Thus, the government’s ambitious goal of “Access to drinking water and sanitation by 2030” can only be achieved by using new community-based approaches. The realization of the right to adequate sanitation will have to be achieved through raising awareness and encouraging communities to end open defecation and unsavory practices on the use of sanitary facilities, and the rational management of drinking water.

To contribute its share to the efforts of the government and these partners the mission of the Association of Plumbing Professionals is to organize activities of “awareness, information and realization or rehabilitation of sanitation works for the benefit of public structures in Burkina.”

The APP-BF intends to promote this mission during the celebration of World Plumbing Day (WPD) through events in structures such as schools, reception centers and hospitals.

Each World Plumbing Day promises to be even more important than the previous one. Industry representatives are preparing activities that will increase people’s understanding that plumbing is critically important to the health of people around the world. Given the APP-BF strategy to celebrate the day each year in a different region, the association organizes events to demystify the profession, provide advice and carry out works for the population. The WPD has been celebrated since 2020 in three regions of Burkina Faso:

• 2020 in the central region of Ouagadougou;
• 2021 in the north-central region of Kaya;
• 2022 in the central west region in Koudougou.

Before (left) and after (right) of handwashing station made for a primary school in Ouagadougou, WPD 2020

Before (left) and after (right) of handwashing station made for a health center in the north central region of Kaya, WPD 2021

Before and after of washing station built for a health center in the western central region of Koudougou, WPD 2022

Objectives of the WPD

The primary objective of this project is to create a better understanding of the plumbing trade and hygiene and sanitation to the population.

Specifically, these are:

• Install a local chapter of the APP in the region
• Organize a training session for the benefit of plumbers in Kaya
• Make a brief history of the plumbing profession and discuss the difficulties of its modernization in Burkina Faso;
• Inform the target populations about the benefits of the plumbing profession, and its impact on human and environmental life.
• Talk with stakeholders about the direction of the association and the avenues for improvement envisaged for the promotion of the trade;
• Construct or rehabilitate hygienic and sanitation facilities for the benefit of a school and a health center.

APP-BF Strategy for the Commemoration of the WPD

The APP-BF does not give fish to the regional representatives, but rather teaches them how to fish themselves. Aware of their lack of financial means but looking to contribute to helping the nation through WPD, the APP-BF can take the follow steps to help its project succeed:

• Choice of a region that can host WPD events/activities;
• Inform plumbers in the region about WPD and teach partners how to approach them;
• Organization and training of plumbers in the region;
• A town hall meeting in the region for an orientation on the structures that have great difficulties in terms of hygiene;
• Visit and study of the structures and choice of the most exposed structure;
• Setting up a project with the need for the resolution of difficulties;
• Advocacy of plumbers in the region and at the national level with economic operators in the region and nationally;
• Recovery of different donations and support for the project;
• Realization of the project according to the means available.

World Plumbing Day 2022 events were held in the Nayalgue Health Center in a village 9 km from the city of Koudougou. The health center opened in 1991 and has an average of 500 consultations and 12 deliveries per month, with an estimated population of 7,055 inhabitants in 2022. Until now, it did not have hydraulic installation or basic sanitary equipment.

The health center’s maternity ward did not have an emptier to evacuate women’s biological fluids after childbirth; everything was collected in a jar and poured outside, a situation that touched the hearts of plumbers and partners who did not hesitate to support the project for its success.

CONCLUSION

The 2022 JMP was better than the previous one, and promises to be even more successful. The APP-BF relies heavily on the support of national and international partners to contribute to the improvement of the health and living environment of the people of Burkina Faso on a voluntary and selfless basis.

Kimo Home Celebrates Plumbers on World Plumbing Day

Submitted by Kimo Home

March 11th marked another annual World Plumbing Day celebration, a day set aside worldwide, to recognize the value of good plumbing as well as the invaluable service provided by Plumbers.

The celebratory event, organized by Kimo Home Limited, had in attendance plumbers from the Kimo Artisans Association, who were rewarded for their contribution to the business, the industry, and the community.

In his address, the MD of Kimo Home Limited, Mr. Mohammed Issa, stressed the need for the plumbers to maintain a high standard of service to give customers the peace of mind they need to be the best versions of themselves. He also added that plumbers played a key role that shouldn’t be overlooked or undervalued by Ghanaians.

He also shared some 2022 plans for their Artisans Association, which included periodic training by representatives of their top brands Laufen and Hansgrohe, to help them improve on their skills and knowledge of modern plumbing and bathroom technologies, and a new quarterly reward scheme for their plumbers.

Top-performing plumbers for 2021, were awarded cash prizes for their contribution to the operations of Kimo as well as their continuous support in helping serve customers.

George Adofo who won the best performing Plumber for 2021, took home a cash prize of Ghc6,000, plus Ghc1,500 for being one of the most reliable plumbers. He said, “I wasn’t expecting the recognition at all, I’m grateful to Kimo and will always do my best as a plumber to help the community and to bring respect to the profession”.

Wilson Antwi also won best performing plumber by sales for the Hansgrohe brand, he took home Ghc3,500 cash.

Other winners on the day were Coppel Company Limited, Mawuli Bansah, Believer Agbevivina, and Eric Ebo Takyi- Arthur, who took home cash rewards and certificates of appreciation.

If you are a plumber and would like to join the Kimo Home Artisans Association, visit their showroom on the Spintex Road near Manet Junction, call or WhatsApp 0244-030-411 to speak to their customer care team.

World Plumbing Day Celebrated in Malawi, Africa

Submitted by Charles Zione Kapasula, Plumbing Instructor, Phwezi Technical College

In commemoration of World Plumbing Day, Charles Zione Kapasula, a plumbing instructor at Phwezi Technical College, took his students from their institutional water source up to the treatment post. The reason for the trip was for them to come up with ideas on how they can improve their water quality.

The students were first-year and final-year Plumbing Trade students at Phwezi Technical College in the Northern Part of Malawi, Africa.

The first-year students learned how they tap raw water and the processes that it passes through before consumption. The final year students went there to find out ways to improve sedimentation and filtration in the water system.

“I was delighted we did this on this special day of plumbers in the world,” said Zione Kapasula.

Khadari Moussa shared the following pictures of World Plumbing Day celebrations in Mohammedia, Morocco.

Rwanda Plumbers Organization Celebrates World Plumbing Day

Submitted by Jean Claude Twagirimana, Rwanda Plumbers Organization (RPO)

 The Rwanda Plumbers Organization (RPO) celebrated World Plumbing Day for the first time with a lot of people and different public authorities. The event was held at the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) Kigali. This event gathered different institutions to showcase what RPO has already achieved with their partners, and to introduce their new projects and the partnerships needed to implement those projects. Different participants from public institutions appreciated those achievements, including membership with WPC, which led the RPO to this opportunity of celebrating the global event. Many questions were asked, especially on how the RPO plans to raise plumbing standards and skills development for plumbers.

 In response to this, the RPO prepared an annual training program for skills development, and with an MoU with IWSH (International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation), they will work on the development of standards and a code based on the local situation. This global event allows plumbers to sit together to find responses in regard to the plumbing industry as a whole and think of their role in daily life in protecting public health.

The RPO and IWSH are preparing to start the construction phase of toilet and hand-washing facilities for Munazi Primary School; hopefully by the end of this project, the RPO will become better known and be even better positioned to show the important role standards play in plumbing and public health and safety.

Challenges

People are becoming more aware of the role plumbing plays in their life, but we still have gaps in training because most plumbing trainers and instructors here are civil engineers. Their low skills in plumbing lead to poor training, so to produce good plumbers we need to have good trainers, training facilities and resources. We appreciate the WPC, IWSH, the United Association, and IAPMO for the books they have given to the RPO in the past few years because they are helping some plumbing trainers and instructors, but support is still needed in different ways to improve and develop a strong plumbing industry here.

Participants of the meeting

Public entities representative (left) and RPO members (right)

The 13^th World Plumbing Day 2022 Considered as the Unique Day in Zambia

Submitted by Moses Chongo, Plumbers Association of Zambia (PAZA)

PAZA Adopts Two Secondary Schools

The Plumbers Association of Zambia (PAZA) celebrated in special style by adopting the two oldest secondary schools in Zambia. This happened after the team of experts from PAZA visited Munali Boys and Girls Secondary schools in Lusaka and assessed the conditions of the schools’ plumbing and water facilities. It was discovered that the schools have more than 3,000 students using six ablutions, and each ablution block has five water closets, two urinals and three hand-wash basins. Unfortunately, it was further discovered that among the five ablution blocks, there was no access to piped water because of the poor plumbing works and blockages of water supply pipes. Other old ablution blocks have been abandoned because of blockages and broken toilets, cisterns and urinals.

PAZA agreed with the schools’ management to ensure that all plumbing and water facilities would be repaired and maintained by a PAZA team as one way of sharing social responsibilities.

On World Plumbing Day, members of the Plumbers Association of Zambia contributed small resources and plumbing materials. PAZA managed to do repairs in two ablution blocks for Munali Girls Secondary School and the three ablution blocks for the Munali Boys Secondary School. This means that four ablution blocks for the girls’ school and three from the boys’ school remained unattended to due to limited resources.

PAZA and the aforementioned schools agreed that the repairing and maintenance of plumbing facilities at the two schools will be an ongoing project. PAZA Treasurer Mr. Obert Rangisi projected that U.S. $3,080 is needed to complete the remaining works at the two institutions. He said this is because some plumbing facilities are old and need to be replaced.

Work to be done at the two learning institutions:

1. Installation of two water tanks (10,000 liters) and tank stands.
2. Replacement of broken water supply pipes
3. Replacement of broken water closets and cisterns, hand-wash basins, urinals and communal taps.
4. Unblocking of sewer system at girls’ secondary school.

The head teachers thanked PAZA for the initiative, saying it will go a long way toward protecting public health in the two schools. They also said the repair and maintenance works will improve good water supply and sanitation in their respective schools and they were sincerely grateful to PAZA for supplementing governmental efforts to provide adequate water, improved hygiene in schools and the nation at large.

Principal Engineer (Building Department) Madam Charity talked about developing the National Plumbing Standard Code (NPSC) for plumbers to ensure high standards for all plumbing works and to regulate the plumbing industry in Zambia. The principal said only qualified and licensed plumbers should be allowed to work on projects in public, private institution and community projects.

The Lusaka provincial maintenance officer promised PAZA that the government of the Republic of Zambia would engage with PAZA in future plumbing projects and would be involved in national plumbing inspections. He said only qualified plumbers would be engaged; “this is so to promote plumbing standards,’’ he said.

National Plumbing Standard Code and Plumbing EXPO

PAZA, in conjunction with various relevant ministries including Water, Infrastructure and Local, as well as other stakeholders, shall call for a workshop to establish the initial National Plumbing Standard Code; this project will end by mid-June.

A plumbing expo will be held in August to promote the plumbing industry in Zambia. Various stakeholders will be involved, including plumbing material suppliers, manufacturers, plumbing contractors, skills training providers and professionals.

PAZA Members Celebrate World Plumbing Day

Plumbers in Lusaka gathered and listened to various speeches from government and other organizations’ representatives.

This was a great day, and many stakeholders appreciated PAZA for the taking the initiative to improve good sanitation and hygiene in schools, markets, public places and private facilities.

 Upcoming Events for PAZA 2022

1. Plumbing Expo- August 2022
2. Career Clinic – June 2022
3. Community outreach project
4. Launch of the National Plumbing Standard Code

World Plumbing Day and IPA Founders Day Celebrations 2022

Submitted by the Indian Plumbing Association

World Plumbing Day 2022 and IPA Founders Day was celebrated across IPA chapters through a series of virtual and physical events including webinars, student chapter webinars, a social media contest, blood donation camps, and drawing and painting competitions. The celebration ran from March 1-17.

An intriguing webinar March 11 was attended by professionals and experts from the plumbing profession and real estate industry from across the globe. More than 650 people attended the event on Zoom and Facebook Live.

Captivating deliberations on the importance of the plumbing profession and sustainable management of our water bodies were widely appreciated by the audience.

Guest of Honour Tom Bigley, chair of the World Plumbing Council, joined the event from Ohio. He said, “Plumbing is essential for good quality of life and for conserving water resources for our future generations.” The WPC chair further expressed that we need to move toward the latest advancements in plumbing, including Wi-Fi-enabled products and water loss mitigation strategies.

Tara Subramaniam, chief guest and president of the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO MAHI), said, “Plumbing is integral to maintaining high standards of sanitation in the country and IPA is working in the direction of better plumbing for healthy living. NAREDCO MAHI, the women’s wing of NAREDCO, is developing a COE, Centre of Excellence, on Plumbing at the World Trade Centre in Delhi NCR.”

Uday Bhonde, expert speaker for the event and project coordinator of the National Institute of Urban Water Management (NIUM), a think tank of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, shared how the Namami Ganga Mission to Clean River Ganga is being implemented.

The webinar video recording is available on the IPA’s YouTube channel and the IPA website. Click this link to view the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLM8rYqO1kw&t=5749s

Regional Webinars by IPA Chapters, March 2-10

Important topics including Net Zero Water, Wastewater Treatment Technologies and Water Management were discussed and deliberated by learned experts in field.

This brought out takeaways on how we can contribute to the cause of water saving at the individual and community level.

Snehal Patel, the expert speaker for the Gujarati webinar, presented a case study of his own house, which is a live example of net zero water and energy building, with pictures, and it was very well appreciated by the participants.

Subjects like plumbing in Ancient India and how India was at the forefront of plumbing innovations were also discussed.

All webinar recordings are available on the IPA website (https://www.indianplumbing.org/Virtual-Technical-Sessions) and the IPA YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/IndianPlumbingAssociation).

After a successful run in 2020 and 2022, the IPA launched the #BeAWaterCrusader2022 social media contest on its Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.

Netizens shared content in the forms of videos, pictures and text on how they contribute to water saving in their unique way.

All posts carried the hashtags #BeAWaterCrusader2022 and #WPD2022.

Participants from across the country took part in the contest and the results will be announced shortly.

The IPG Says ‘Don’t Take It for Granted’

Submitted by The IPG

The IPG got behind World Plumbing Day this year with a campaign titled “Don’t take it for granted’.

Over the past couple of years, the importance of having sinks, taps, and clean water to wash our hands and help stop the spread of viruses has been vital. It can be easy to take indoor plumbing and running water for granted when you live in a modern-day home. But spare a thought for the three people in 10  worldwide who lack access to safe water at home; this puts their health at risk.

The group’s organic social posts provoked thoughts of how we are luckier than others to have such sound plumbing! The posts were shared across all channels in the run-up to, and past, World Plumbing Day.

Nike Lovell, head of Marketing at The IPG, said, “Worldwide, plumbing and heating engineers are the reason that we have access to safe water at home, that we can wash our clothes with clean water and flush our toilets. These are all things we take for granted, so we wanted to highlight the fact that we shouldn’t!”

In addition, The IPG wanted to address the issue of sustainability in the plumbing industry and embrace efforts to ensure we are conserving every drop of water. Because of this, the group ran a paid advertising campaign asking people to give one tip on saving water to receive a free bottle of CT1 Miracle Seal.

Entrants’ comments included: put timers on showers, use a water meter, use just enough water to cover your vegetables when cooking, turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, always use full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher, fix a dripping tap, use a water butt to collect rainwater to water your garden, shower – don’t bathe — and invest in low-flow showerheads, taps, toilets, and white goods. Of course, you always get unconventional suggestions such as drink beer and shower with a friend!!

We often take for granted the vital role plumbing has in our everyday lives — it gives us access to clean, convenient water and brings comfort and convenience to our homes. So, to all those hard-working professionals in the industry – thank you!

WORLD PLUMBING DAY 2022: Results From Ideal Heating’s Search to Find The Nation’s Super Plumbers

Submitted by Ideal Heating

To celebrate World Plumbing Day (11th March) the heating experts at Ideal Heating launched a search to find the nation’s ‘Super Plumbers’. The competition aimed to celebrate plumbers in the UK by asking the nation to share instances when a plumber has saved the day.

World Plumbing Day is an annual global event celebrated around the world. Initiated by the World Plumbing Council in 2010, the event is recognised internationally as a day to acknowledge the importance of plumbers and safe plumbing.

The competition attracted a lot of interest from press and with nominations from across the UK – the nation was keen to celebrate their Super Plumbers with heartwarming stories shared across social media.

The votes are in and, after much deliberation, Ideal Heating have picked their winners. Introducing the UK’s Super Plumbers 2022…

1. Martin Gipp – MG Gipp Plumbing & Heating

With a phenomenal number of nominations, it’s clear that Martin at MG Gipp Plumbing & Heating is not only a great plumber but a great guy. “Martin is not only an excellent plumber, in his spare time he gives back to the community by volunteering at his local youth football club as a coach.” According to one nominee, Martin “knows what he’s doing, works hard and is brilliant at his job!”

2. Rich Adcock – Adcock Plumbing & Heating

Rich at Adcock Plumbing & Heating boasts an impressive collection of recommendations from satisfied customers. His nominees were keen to tell us, “Rich works so hard every day and deserves to be crowned a Super Plumber”. Another told us, “Rich is amazing and works very hard to keep his customers happy no matter the challenge.” This Super Plumber is “highly recommended because he always does a great job even when problems arise” and is a “genuine guy.”

3. Neil Wrigglesworth – Gas Man Neil

We love a story of hard work, determination and success. Neil has worked incredibly hard to become self employed, building his business over the last 12 months. One nominee said, “Neil always goes above & beyond & will always help everyone and anyone whatever the time or day!”

4. Danny Stuart – DS Gas Services

A Super Plumber who goes above and beyond to perfect his work. According to a nominee, Danny at DS Gas Services “is a quality plumber and gas engineer, who takes so much pride in his work and always puts in attention to detail.” Another said, “Danny works so hard for his family and definitely deserves to win.”

5. Dan Hood – D.H Heating & Plumbing

One of the beauties of the plumbing and heating industry is that there are endless possibilities and opportunities, including life changing ones. Dan Hood at D.H Heating and Plumbing has been crowned a Super Plumber for giving people the opportunity to better their lives with expert plumbing training. One nominee said “Dan allowed me to change my life – changing my career. I owe the man a lifetime of thank yous.” Another added, “Dan is not just a super plumber, he’s an all round hero too.”

So there we have it, Ideal Heating’s Super Plumbers 2022. The crowned Super Plumbers are just a snapshot of the unsung heroes of the nation. With a total of 186 nominations, the campaign has highlighted the amount of talented and dedicated professionals that make up this industry and showcased just how appreciated these hard working heroes are.

Plumbing Ambassadors Appointed on World Plumbing Day to Inspire Future Tradies

Submitted by: Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland (MPAQ)

On March 11, Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland (MPAQ) revealed the 2022 Queensland Plumbing Ambassadors: Brett McIlvride – PRP Services, Stephen Morton – Morton Plumbing NQ, Ben Byrne – CQ Relining, Damian Connor – Evermore Plumbing & Gas, and Natalie Denning – Fallon Solutions. The announcement was made in front of more than 300 attendees at the World Plumbing Day Industry Breakfast, which was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Pictured (left to right): The Hon. Michael de Brenni MP – Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement, Natalie Denning – Fallon Solutions, Brett McIlvride – PRP Services, Kent Vickers – MPAQ President, Stephen Morton – Morton Plumbing NQ, Ben Byrne – CQ Relining Pty Ltd and Penny Cornah – MPAQ Executive Director (not pictured: Damian Connor – Evermore Plumbing & Gas).

World Plumbing Day is celebrated on March 11 every year, everywhere, and is now a fixture on the calendars of political and social institutions around the globe. World Plumbing Day aims to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers in protecting public health, as well as celebrating all the important work plumbers have done to improve the world.

The plumbing community has a vital role in promoting the link between good quality plumbing, health, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity.

MPAQ Executive Director Penny Cornah said, “This is an important opportunity for the whole community to appreciate the hard work performed by members of our industry.”

“Queensland plumbers are experts in their field, who deliver the highest standards in health and safety throughout the world,” Ms. Cornah said.

“While we should celebrate the industry and those who play an important part in it, World Plumbing Day also allows us to reflect on the future of our industry, and ensuring that we see a diverse, engaged, and skilled future workforce is essential to that.”

The ambassadors were chosen to represent MPAQ and promote this important trade to school students and career seekers across the state, focusing on raising awareness to students about studying an apprenticeship and explaining where a trade can take them both professionally and personally. The ambassadors will also be focused on engaging with business owners to increase the number of opportunities available to those seeking a plumbing apprenticeship.

“I would like to congratulate this year’s ambassadors and thank them for giving up their time to help us develop the future of our industry. I look forward to working with them,” Cornah said.

About the Ambassadors

Brett McIlvride is a licensed plumber, drainer, gas fitter, and owner of PRP Services in Brisbane. Beginning his career in New South Wales, Brett has been in the industry for more than 25 years and loves sharing his knowledge and passion for the trade with others.

Brett said, “I want the plumbers of tomorrow to be well rounded, and I want to be able to show that everyone in the industry benefits from knowing all facets of the trade.”

“There is so much more to the trade that can be inspirational to the younger generation. I want to promote the plumbing industry and the trade as being more than just a guy that can sort out your blocked toilet,” he said.

Stephen Morton, a licensed plumber, drainer, and gas fitter, is the business operations manager for Morton Plumbing in North Queensland. With plumbing in his blood, Stephen started his plumbing career more than 32 years ago working in his family’s business.

Stephen said, “I want to show people where a career in plumbing can take you; it can expand in many avenues and even take you overseas.”

Stephen has taken his passion for plumbing and developed his skills across a wide range of areas, including working for regional councils, major mining operations, and even in Papua New Guinea, before recently returning to the family business to train the next generation of family plumbers with his brother, Ben Morton.

Stephen will focus on the North Queensland region as one of MPAQ’s regional ambassadors.

Ben Byrne is a licensed plumber, drainer, gas fitter, and owner of CQ Relining Pty Ltd in Yeppoon. Ben developed his passion for the industry working in a Reece Plumbing store before being taken on as an apprentice by a customer.

Ben said, “I’ve been in the industry for 20 years now and my business is at the stage where I have the time to give back to the industry, something that I’ve always wanted to do.”

“I see the Ambassador program as a chance to ‘share the love’, promote the industry, and guide the next generation of plumbers into their careers,” he said.

Ben will focus on the Central Queensland region as one of MPAQ’s regional ambassadors.

Damian Connor is a licensed plumber, drainer, gas fitter, and owner of Evermore Plumbing & Gas Pty Ltd in Ferny Hills. As a school leaver, Damian was faced with a parental ultimatum to either head to university or take up a trade. He knew he could thrive outside of a classroom, so went down the trade route and has never looked back.

Damian said, “There is a serious skills shortage in our industry and too many great people are pushed towards university when it’s not always the best fit.”

“I want to impart my knowledge and promote plumbing to get more future plumbers into apprenticeships,” he said.

Natalie Denning is the human resources director and owner of Fallon Solutions in Mansfield and has been involved in the plumbing industry for more than 17 years. As an employer and parent, Natalie has seen firsthand the types of workers that it takes to become a great plumber.

Natalie said, “I have an interest in supporting more high school students to actively choose a technical trade vocation to support an industry that is in increasingly short supply.”

“I believe there is a disproportionate skew towards tertiary education where a trade may be the better choice for many students actually ill-suited to academic study and the associated work derived from degree qualifications,” she said.

“I am also interested in working with the relevant apprenticeship agencies to ensure apprenticeships are full bodied enough in content to ensure tradespeople exit their apprenticeship enabled to fully engage in the technical trade they are then qualified in.”

MPA Celebrates World Plumbing Day 2022

Submitted by MPA Skills Plumbing Training and Apprentice Employment

Hundreds of apprentices, host employers, suppliers and industry guests came to MPA Skills Plumbing Training and Apprentice Employment at Maylands Training Campus to celebrate World Plumbing Day for a breakfast event between 6 and 9am, where we were joined by radio station 6PR Perth broadcasting live from the training campus.

Highlights of the show.

Thank you to our marvelous sponsors, Allied Pumps, Caroma, CBUS, EBM Insurance, The Institute of Plumbing Australia Inc., MEGT, REHAU, Ridgid, Rinnai, Rheem, SimPRO, Vacuum Toilets Australia, Valsir, VIEGA and Zip Water, who provided our apprentices and tradesmen with many door prizes. We would also like to thank Galvins Plumbing Supplies for sponsoring the delicious BBQ breakfast from Smile Events!

MPA Skills is committed to striving for continuous improvement and playing a key role in the training and employment of the WA plumbing industry, and thanks all who made the World Plumbing Day Free Breakfast 2022 event a great success!

World Plumbing Day Celebrated in Western Australia

Submitted by The Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia

The Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia has been the voice of licensed plumbing contractors since 1901. It is the only plumbing industry association in Western Australia, a state roughly one quarter the size of the United States.

The association celebrated World Plumbing Day 2022 with a massive publicity campaign on radio stations across Western Australia. The campaign included recorded advertisements, “live reads” by program hosts and interviews with Association CEO Murray Thomas. Its purpose was to remind the public that our plumbing infrastructure, our regulated plumbing industry and of course our professional licensed plumbing contractors and tradespeople are all essential to public health and must never be taken for granted.

The association also used Facebook and LinkedIn intensively during the day for the dual purpose of reaching out to the public and informing members about how the radio campaign was acknowledging their valuable services.

World Plumbing Day Celebrated at PICAC Campuses in Victoria, New South Wales & Queensland

Submitted by the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre

World Plumbing Day is a day to acknowledge and celebrate the vital contribution of skilled plumbing professionals and the essential role plumbing plays in societal health and well-being.

To recognize World Plumbing Day in 2022, The Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) hosted a suite of events at our campuses in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland in celebration of all things plumbing.

World Plumbing Day – Victoria

PICAC hosted the annual World Plumbing Day Apprentice Skills Contest at our Brunswick Campus. The competition brought together six plumbing and six sprinkler-fitting apprentices from Victoria, QLD, and for the first time ever, NSW.

Alongside the Apprentice Skills Contest, PICAC hosted a World Plumbing Day barbecue lunch for all apprentices, students and staff at the Brunswick campus.

The Apprentice Skills Contest kicked off bright and early on World Plumbing Day, and it was a fiercely fought contest to the very end. A big thank-you to all who competed and congratulations to the finalists in both competitions.

2022 APPRENTICE SKILLS COMPETITION FINALISTS

Plumbing competition:

3rd place: Charlie Zhu — Plumbing Apprenticeships Victoria (VIC)

2nd place: Tanar Rivers — Christopher’s Contracting (QLD)

Winner: Daniel Cooper — Cooke & Dowsett (VIC)

Sprinkler-fitting competition:

Joint 2nd place:

Steve Barbeta — Specialized Fire Protection (VIC)

Bailey McGuire — Modern Fire (QLD)

Winner: Shaun Murphy — Paramount Fire (VIC)

World Plumbing Day – New South Wales

PICAC’s Glenwood campus in New South Wales hosted its inaugural World Plumbing Day celebration. Community leaders, industry participants, trainers and apprentices gathered at the PICAC Glenwood campus to celebrate the essential work of licensed plumbing.

Speakers at the event included Mark Buttigieg, member of the Legislative Council and opposition whip in the Legislative Council; Michelle Rowland, federal member for Greenway; Chris Seet, assistant State secretary of the Plumbing Trades Employees Union of NSW; and Bill Guthrie, PICAC NSW operations manager. Following the addresses, a catered luncheon was held on the grounds of PICAC Glenwood for guests, trainers and apprentices.

PICAC Glenwood also held a sprinkler-fitting apprentice competition for third-year apprentices. The competition began at 9 a.m. and concluded with an awards presentation at 2:30 p.m. Congratulations to all of the apprentices who participated in the contest.

World Plumbing Day – Queensland

World Plumbing Day was celebrated with a BBQ lunch at the PICAC Beenleigh campus in Queensland. Apprentices, students and staff gathered to celebrate the important role plumbing plays in the health and safety of modern society.

What is World Plumbing Day?

“Any reason for a celebration, right?”

That was the comment the baker made when I ordered some cupcakes for our team for World Plumbing Day.

I smiled and carried the cute (and delicious) treats out to the car, careful not to squish the edible toppers that I had branded with our logo and taps on them, a gift for our hard-working team on a day named for them.

Driving them to the shed, I kept thinking about the baker’s comments. We were celebrating World Plumbing Day by holding a get-together with pizzas at the yard, thanking them for working hard for the betterment of our industry (by providing plumbing maintenance in Melbourne’s western suburbs). But the real reason for having a day to acknowledge plumbers isn’t for their hard work at all; it’s to highlight how imperative our industry is in reducing deaths due to unsafe sanitation.

The World Plumbing Council initiated World Plumbing Day to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing in protecting public health.

While this is mainly achieved by celebrating our plumbers worldwide, it’s imperative for us in the industry to understand the true purpose of the day.

Sixty percent of the world’s population lacks safely managed sanitation. That’s 4.5 BILLION people (source – World Plumbing Council).

Three hundred sixty-one thousand children die each year due to waterborne diarrheal diseases caused by open defecation near waterways. That’s heartbreaking, and hard to fathom in my cutesy cupcake eating part of the World.

Researching the rationale behind World Plumbing Day reminded me that it isn’t just a token excuse for an event. It’s to raise awareness of how vital our industry is in protecting public health. Our industry is crucial in disease prevention and saving lives.

So, while I enjoyed those bloody adorable cupcakes, and I’ll continue to pat my Point Cook plumbers on the backs for working hard, I also made a pledge to myself to ensure I continue to help educate our community about the importance of World Plumbing Day.

McCarthy Plumbing Group also made a donation to the Australian Red Cross Flood Appeal to assist in the disaster cleanup, and provide fresh water to those affected, in the name of World Plumbing Day.

McCarthy Plumbing Group team members

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About the Author – Cat McCarthy co-owns McCarthy Plumbing Group with her husband, David, in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. McCarthy Plumbing Group was established in 2013 and is a multi award-winning team consisting of 14 maintenance plumbers. www.mccarthyplumbinggroup.com.au

IWSH Holds World Plumbing Day Poster Contest

Submitted by the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH)

In celebration of World Plumbing Day, IWSH, with support from IAPMO, held a global poster contest for children in 1st to 6th grade (Elementary / Primary school age). Contestants were required to create their own posters inspired by World Plumbing Day and feature the wording “Plumbing Is Essential”.

Posters came in from many states throughout the USA and Jamaica, and winners will be announced in the next few weeks. Students have the opportunity to win prize money for themselves and for their school. Follow IWSH and IAPMO’s social media accounts to see the winners, as well as other favorite poster entries submitted.

Ferguson, Uponor North America Support New Community Plumbing Challenge Effort in Alabama During World Plumbing Day Week

Submitted by the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH)

Ferguson, a leading value-added distributor in North America providing expertise, solutions, and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more, and Uponor North America, a global pioneer in intelligent plumbing and climate solutions, have both announced their continued support for the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation’s (IWSH) Community Plumbing Challenge™ (CPC) program, the most recent of which began in March in Lowndes County, Alabama.

IWSH’s latest CPC effort is a collaboration with the Black Belt Unincorporated Wastewater Program (BBUWP) and LIXIL to provide plumbing repairs and upgrades for five homes and develop a framework for ongoing plumbing industry support to the BBUWP. The weeklong project addressed a critical issue for public health and safety in the surrounding community, where many low-income homeowners are unable to afford an on-site sewage disposal system, instead resorting to straight piping, which releases sewage above ground.

In cooperation with its nearest branch — in Montgomery, Alabama — Ferguson generously donated all necessary plumbing products for the project, while Uponor provided monetary support toward the new program.

“It’s unfathomable to think about the more than 2 million Americans living without access to clean water and proper sanitation,” said Denise Vaughn, Ferguson’s vice president of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG). “We are honored to partner with IWSH, Uponor and LIXIL, along with many talented and kind plumbers, to bring this project to life in Alabama. This is just the beginning — and we know that, with the leadership and vision of IWSH, change is on the horizon for many other communities, too.”

“We are honored to be able to support IAPMO/IWSH in their important work alongside a valued partner like Ferguson,” said Ingrid Mattsson, director of Brand and Sustainability for Uponor North America. “Uponor has a long history of supporting plumbers in their role of providing health and safety to the nation and I’m happy to hear that Lowndes County, Alabama, will benefit from this collaboration.”

IWSH greatly appreciates the support and sponsorship of a multitude of leading plumbing industry organizations, from sectors including labor, manufacturing and supply. More details of current IWSH Global Partnerships may be found HERE.

“Bringing together the expertise of the plumbing industry to address this need demonstrates our commitment to begin to solve a long-standing issue in Lowndes County,” said IWSH North American Program Director Jed Scheuermann. “We are grateful to Ferguson, LIXIL and United Association locals in Alabama who join us in our latest Community Plumbing Challenge. Despite various challenges, we team up with support and guidance from community and state officials. Given March 11 is World Plumbing Day, our CPC could not be more perfectly timed to draw attention to how plumbers protect the health of the world!”

Visit www.ferguson.com to learn more about Ferguson.

Visit www.uponor.com to learn more about Uponor North America.

Visit https://www.bbuwp.org/ to learn more about the Black Belt Unincorporated Wastewater Program.

Visit www.iwsh.org/iwsh/our-work/n-america/us to learn more about IWSH work in the United States.