- Plumbing dates back to the Roman Empire.
- “Plumbum” is the Latin word for lead, which was the material used for pipes in ancient civilizations.
- The first flushing toilet was built in 1596 by Sir John Harrington, which is why toilets are nicknamed “The John.”
- Sir John Harrington created the first flushing toilet in 1596 for his godmother Queen Elizabeth I. Did you know the toilet, also known as “The John” was created for a queen?
- Americans used corn cobs and seashells in the 1700s before toilet paper was invented.
- Before toilet paper was invented, the most common things to wipe with were dried corn cobs, leaves, handfuls of straw, and seashells… ouch! When paper became more prominent in the USA, newspapers and catalogs were used until toilet paper was invented in 1857
- The first known mechanical shower was invented in 1767.
- William Feetham patented the first known mechanical shower in 1767. This early contraption was powered by pumping water into a basin, the water was released when pulled by a chain. The downside of this invention was that it reused the same dirty water in each shower session.
- Boston is home to the hotel in the U.S. to have indoor plumbing.
- The Tremont House, or the Tremont Hotel, was designed in 1829 by Isaiah Rogers in Boston. This hotel has a long list of innovations, but the most notable is the fact that it was the first hotel to have running water and indoor plumbing.
- The first water heater was invented in 1889.
- The first water heater was invented in 1889 by Edwin Rudd? Rudd was able to create an automatic storage gas water heater. He improved his original design and safety features over years of hard work. By the end of the “Roaring ‘20s,” hot water became an affordable and standard feature in American homes.
- Faucet leaks waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year.
- A leaky faucet can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year! That amount of water is more than taking 180 showers!
- Manhole covers are circular so they can not fall through their own opening.
- Manhole covers are circular because they are able to be rotated. This design makes them safer than square covers as they won’t fall into the hole they’re covering. Round covers also carry weight better than square, which makes round the more sensible and strong option.
- The average person goes through 85 rolls of toilet paper per year.
- According to Cottonelle, the average person uses about 85 rolls of toilet paper per year! Is this number shocking to you too?
- Only two things are actually flushable, human waste, and toilet paper.
- Not everything that claims to be “flushable” is actually flushable. Flushing anything other than toilet paper can cause blockages and numerous plumbing problems. Even “flushable” wipes can cause toilet blockages.
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