Washington, D.C. — The United States Senate, at the urging of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), on Thursday passed a bipartisan resolution formally designating March 11, 2012, as World Plumbing Day.
Senate Resolution 393, introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet (D‐Colo.) and co‐sponsored by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), John Boozman (R‐Ark.), Patty Murray (D‐Wash.) and Jeff Merkley (D‐Ore.), highlights the role plumbing plays in safeguarding public health in the United States and worldwide, addresses the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation across the globe, declares access to such a vital human right and praises trained plumbing professionals for maintaining, repairing and rebuilding the aging water infrastructure of the United States.
“Whereas the installation of modern plumbing systems must be accomplished in a specific, safe manner by trained professionals in order to prevent widespread disease, which can be crippling and deadly to the community; … Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Senate designates March 11, 2012, as ‘World Plumbing Day,’ ” the resolution reads in part. This marks the second consecutive year the U.S. Senate has recognized World Plumbing Day through the passing of such a resolution.
Senate Resolution 393 can be read in its entirety here:
“Access to a clean water supply is something that many of us take for granted, but a lack of access has unfortunately led to death and illness around the globe,” Sen. Bennet said. “I am proud to support World Plumbing Day to help raise awareness surrounding a serious issue that countries and communities across the world contend with every day.”
The World Plumbing Council (WPC) in 2010 established March 11 as World Plumbing Day, an annual celebration to promote appreciation of the plumbing industry’s vital work on behalf of the planet and its people. The event aims to help the general public better understand how the plumbing industry protects the public’s health and safety, demonstrate the extent to which it works to limit mankind’s environmental footprint and to illuminate other important and often unsung work performed by contractors, inspectors, installers, engineers, manufacturers and academicians.
IAPMO has been an enthusiastic supporter of World Plumbing Day from its inception, developing educational materials and administering student contests to promote the event and facilitating the introduction and subsequent passage of this resolution in the U.S. Senate.
“On behalf of plumbing professionals across the globe I want to thank the U.S. Senate, especially Sens. Bennet, Hatch, Boozman, Murray and Merkley, for endorsing so strongly and publicly the vitally important work the plumbing industry performs every day in order to keep not only Americans, but all the world’s people, safe from waterborne disease and other potential maladies,” said IAPMO CEO GP Russ Chaney, chairman of the World Plumbing Council. World Plumbing Day spotlights those contributions and the Senate’s resolution clearly defines that purpose.”
Last modified: March 9, 2012