Today, Monday 11 March, marks World Plumbing Day, when plumbers can hold their heads high and celebrate the vital role plumbing plays around the world.

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.

Kevin Wellman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), WPC member, said: “Good plumbers really do protect the health and welfare of the nation, and it is high time that plumbing professionals got the recognition they deserve.

“There is no doubt there are unscrupulous tradespeople in the industry, however, the majority are highly skilled and work to an exceptional standard. These are the people the Institute represents.”

The CIPHE is using World Plumbing Day to bring attention to the face that, 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, it’s clear that plumbers still have a vital role to play in keeping the nation safe.

Longstanding issues such as hot water scalding, Legionnaires’ disease, water efficiency, lead in water supplies, and pollution caused by plumbing misconnections, are all first world plumbing problems that can be detrimental to the safety, welfare, and health of the public.

The CIPHE is currently engaging with consumers and the government on issues such as public toilet provision, the rise in scalding and heating system related contact burn incidents, and the need for regular plumbing system health checks. The Institute is putting particular emphasis on the important role that professional plumbers play.

Kevin continued: “We cannot ignore that each year many hundreds of people, including the vulnerable are affected by poorly designed, installed and maintained plumbing systems. At the CIPHE, we are currently working in partnership with other leading industry bodies to help raise standards of education and raise concerns direct with government on skills, compliance, and safety issues.

“As an educational charity, we encourage consumers to make the right choices when it comes to employing a tradesperson. However, we still recognise that in the current climate, more needs to be done to make all plumbing systems safe and sustainable. This is why we continue to back the introduction of a licence to practice, which is prevalent in many countries across the globe.”

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