When we think of plumbing today, things like pipes, drains,
and fixtures generally come to mind—but where did it all begin? The word
“plumbing” was derived from plumbum,
the Latin word for lead, as this was the material from which pipes were once
made. As ancient civilizations such as the Roman, Greek, Indian, Persian, and
Chinese continued to develop and grow, so did the need for potable water and
waste drainage for public baths.
Plumbing systems remained slow, few, and far between until
the 1800s, when modern cities’ population densities increased.
