current and emerging public health hazards - Plumbing Industry ...

THE ROLE OF PLUMBERS IN MANAGING CURRENTAND EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDSCONCLUSIONThe provision of safe and effective water supplies and sanitation systems is oneof the great public health achievements of the last century, and significantlycontributes to public health and wellbeing. Plumbing practitioners play a significantrole in maintaining the integrity of water supplies and sanitation systems.It has been suggested that the health contribution from well designed, installed and maintainedplumbing systems has saved more lives by protecting against preventable disease than vaccination.Historically, the management of water supply and sanitation systems has proved complex. It is an issuethat will only become increasingly complex with new public health risks emerging as urban populationscontinue to grow, systems become more complex and new water sources are utilised.It is also worth remembering that 2.6 billion people in the world still do not have access to improvedsanitation systems; only 61 per cent of the global population enjoys improved sanitation systemsand 884 million people do not have access to improved drinking water supplies. 31The costs of poor or non-existent plumbing systemson developing nations are enormous, in terms ofeconomic development, social development,disease burden and educational opportunities.A non-existent sanitation system stops basicactivities like access to education – the lack ofschool toilets in some of the developing worldmeans that girls cannot attend. 32To address this complexity in practical terms, it isimportant that not only are plumbing practitionersacross the globe empowered to work within theprinciples of the key goals of plumbing as outlinedin the Health Aspects of Plumbing, but they areacknowledged and valued for the vital role theyplay in safeguarding against public health hazardsin our communities.Image Above- WHO Safer Water, Better Health, 200831. WHO & UNICEF, Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water, 201032. M Black and B Fawcett, 200819