Plumbing is the system of pipes, fixtures and fittings that brings clean water into a building and carries wastewater away. Every fixture, such as a toilet, sink or shower, connects to drain piping that carries wastewater to a public sewer or septic system, and the system is designed to keep sewer gases out of the building.[1][2] Ancient Roman plumbers, the plumbarii, made water pipes from lead, in Latin plumbum.[3]
In the United States, plumbing work follows model codes such as the International Plumbing Code, and most states require plumbers to be licensed.[4][5] In Georgia, the 2024 International Plumbing Code with Georgia amendments is the state minimum standard plumbing code, and plumbers are licensed by the State Construction Industry Licensing Board.[6][7]
History
Ancient Roman plumbers formed water pipes from rolled sheets of lead, a metal that is easy to shape and melts at a low temperature. Romans knew lead could be harmful: the architect Vitruvius warned that water from lead pipes could be unhealthy and that clay pipes gave better-tasting water.[3]
In 1596 Sir John Harington described a flushing toilet and installed one for Queen Elizabeth I. Alexander Cumming received the first English patent for a flushing toilet in 1775, with an S-shaped pipe that held water to block odors, and Joseph Bramah's 1778 design with a hinged valve led the market for about a century. Thomas Crapper did not invent the toilet but popularized the siphonic flush and the U-bend.[11]
Modern sanitation grew out of 19th-century public health crises. Britain's Public Health Act of 1848 made local boards responsible for sanitation,[11] and after London's "Great Stink" of 1858 Parliament funded Joseph Bazalgette's sewer network, completed in 1875.[12] In crowded U.S. cities, poor water supplies and waste disposal caused repeated outbreaks of cholera, dysentery and typhoid; water treatment, including chlorination, which began in the early 1900s, and improved sewage disposal reduced waterborne disease and helped cut infant deaths during the 20th century.[13][14]
How home plumbing works
A home's drainage system runs on gravity, with no moving parts.[15] Under each drain, a U-shaped trap, most commonly a P-trap, holds standing water that seals the fixture off from the sewer and keeps sewer gas and pests out.[16][15] Vent pipes let air into the drains so that draining water does not create a vacuum that could siphon traps dry, and carry sewer gases out through the roof.[1][16] Drains that are rarely used can lose their water seal to evaporation, so running water into them about once a month keeps them working.[16]
Plumbing codes
The two main model plumbing codes in the United States are the International Plumbing Code (IPC), published by the International Code Council with a new edition every three years,[4] and the Uniform Plumbing Code, published by IAPMO, whose 2024 edition appeared in 2023.[17]
In Georgia, the 2024 IPC read together with Georgia's amendments is the official State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code; the Department of Community Affairs' December 2025 memo listed it among the mandatory state codes effective January 1, 2026.[6][18] Mandatory state codes apply to all construction in Georgia whether or not a local government enforces them.[19] Georgia's amendments cap toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush, bathroom faucets at 1.5 gallons per minute and showerheads at 2.5 gallons per minute, and require building sewers to be at least six inches below grade.[6]
Permits and inspections
In Cherokee County, the Development Service Center issues construction permits for unincorporated areas and the City of Waleska and lists the 2024 IPC as the statewide minimum code.[20] Plumbing service permits there are issued only to state-licensed technicians and must be obtained before work begins; in an emergency, such as a water heater failing at night, work may proceed but the permit must be pulled as soon as possible and the work inspected.[21] The City of Woodstock also enforces the 2024 IPC with current Georgia amendments.[22]
Licensing in Georgia
Georgia plumbers are licensed under the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, whose members are appointed by the governor and which is administered through the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division.[7]
| License | Experience required | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Plumber | At least 1 year of plumbing work | Plumbing work under the Georgia plumbing code[8] |
| Master Plumber Class I | At least 5 years, including 2 as a licensed journeyman | Single-family homes, small two-family homes and commercial buildings up to 10,000 sq ft[8] |
| Master Plumber Class II | At least 5 years, including 2 as a journeyman, plus commercial or industrial experience | No restriction[8] |
All plumbing licenses require a score of at least 70 on the state exam and references from licensed plumbers,[8] and an applicant who fails the exam twice must complete an approved review course before a third attempt.[23]
Workforce
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 510,600 jobs for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in 2025, with a median annual wage of $63,800, and projects employment to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035. Most plumbers train through four- or five-year apprenticeships, and most states require a license, often after two to five years of experience and an exam.[5]
Water efficiency
The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water a day at home, about 70% of it indoors.[24] Toilets account for nearly 30% of indoor use; the federal standard is 1.6 gallons per flush, while toilets carrying the EPA's WaterSense label use no more than 1.28.[9] WaterSense showerheads use at most 2.0 gallons per minute, compared with the 2.5 standard,[25] and WaterSense bathroom faucets at most 1.5, compared with 2.2.[26] WaterSense is a voluntary program, and labeled products must use at least 20% less water while performing as well or better.[27]
Plumbing companies
Plumbing companies serving Cherokee County, Georgia, include:
- Towne Plumber: a locally owned, licensed and insured plumbing company on Main Street in Woodstock, serving Cherokee County and nearby communities since 2017 with residential and light commercial plumbing, including water line, sewer, drain, leak detection and traditional and tankless water heater services.[28] Its owner, Shane Mahaffey, is a master plumber.[29]
Companies listed are clients of this wiki's publisher, Magnetize ME.
References
- ^ ^ "Why Do I Have Sewer Odor In My Home?". City of Kerrville, Texas. kerrvilletx.gov
- ^ "About Septic Systems". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated July 7, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ ^ "Lead Poisoning and Rome". Encyclopaedia Romana (University of Chicago). penelope.uchicago.edu
- ^ ^ "International Plumbing Code". International Code Council. iccsafe.org
- ^ ^ ^ "Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters". Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, updated August 27, 2026. bls.gov
- ^ ^ ^ ^ "Georgia State Amendments to the International Plumbing Code (2024 Edition)". Georgia Department of Community Affairs, revised January 1, 2026. dca.georgia.gov
- ^ ^ "Chapter 121-1: State Construction Industry Licensing Board". Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. rules.sos.ga.gov
- ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "Chapter 121-3: Application for Licensure". Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. rules.sos.ga.gov
- ^ ^ "Residential Toilets". U.S. EPA WaterSense, updated May 29, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated June 18, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ ^ "A flushing story". Science Museum Blog, October 28, 2020. blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk
- ^ "The Great Stink of 1858". London Museum. londonmuseum.org.uk
- ^ "Achievements in Public Health, 1900–1999: Control of Infectious Diseases". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, 1999. cdc.gov
- ^ "Achievements in Public Health, 1900–1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, 1999. cdc.gov
- ^ ^ "Traps and Vents" (No. 3110). Engines of Our Ingenuity, University of Houston, February 16, 2017. engines.egr.uh.edu
- ^ ^ ^ "Traps & Vents: Information for Property Owners". Union Sanitary District. unionsanitary.ca.gov
- ^ "IAPMO Publishes 2024 Editions of Uniform Plumbing Code and Uniform Mechanical Code". PHCPPros, May 2, 2023. phcppros.com
- ^ "New Codes and Amendments Effective January 1, 2026". Georgia Department of Community Affairs, December 1, 2025. dca.georgia.gov
- ^ "Mandatory and Permissive State Codes". Georgia Department of Community Affairs. dca.georgia.gov
- ^ "Development Service Center: Building Permits and Inspections". Cherokee County, Georgia. cherokeecountyga.gov
- ^ "Building Permits and Inspections: Service Permits". Cherokee County, Georgia. cherokeecountyga.gov
- ^ "Inspections & Codes". City of Woodstock, Georgia. woodstockga.gov
- ^ "Chapter 121-2: Qualifications for Licensure". Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. rules.sos.ga.gov
- ^ "How We Use Water". U.S. EPA WaterSense, updated August 4, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "Showerheads". U.S. EPA WaterSense, updated March 3, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "Bathroom Faucets". U.S. EPA WaterSense, updated June 16, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "About WaterSense". U.S. EPA WaterSense, updated June 1, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "Towne Plumber Expands Plumbing Services With New Location on Main Street in Woodstock". Star Tribune, October 21, 2026. financialcontent.com
- ^ "Towne Plumber Expands Water Line Repair Services to Meet Growing Demand in Cherokee County". Star Tribune, July 27, 2026. financialcontent.com