21 Handy Plumbing Statistics We All Need to Know in 2024

Most of us probably think about plumbing only when we find ourselves surrounded by a puddle of water in our basement—and this is exactly why we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of plumbing in our everyday lives. We’ve found some awesome plumbing statistics that will definitely change your view of plumbing and its importance.

Are you a homeowner who wants to learn and read more about plumbing and its industry? Or are you interested in hearing some funny plumbing facts?

Read about plumbing history, home water damage, and how indoor plumbing varies from country to country right here. Plus, you’ll find out who the richest plumber in the world is, how much money plumbers make, and much more.

The Top 10 Most Interesting Plumbing Statistics

It is believed that the plumbing fixtures market will be worth around $121.9 billion by the year 2025.
An average US family of four goes through approximately 400 gallons of water daily.
In the US, the price of water depends on where you live.
Small leaks can waste around 10,000 gallons of water per year.
In South Africa, around 4,500 or more schools still make use of pit latrines.
As many as 2 billion people worldwide don’t have toilets or latrines.
Standardized plumbing takes us back to 3000 BCE.
People flush the toilet more times during Super Bowl halftime than they do at any other time.
An average person spends around 92 days on the toilet during their lifetime.
In the US alone, there are approximately 480,600 licensed plumbers.

Home Plumbing Statistics

In this section, find out how much water an average US family uses every day. Also, learn about the value of the plumbing fixtures market.

1. It is believed that the plumbing fixtures market will be worth around $121.9 billion by 2025.

(Grand View Research)

Plumbing fixtures in the home are incredibly popular, not just for their function but also for their aesthetic appeal. Fixtures make up only a section of the overall plumbing market size.

2. An average US family of four goes through approximately 400 gallons of water daily.

(EPA, Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Water resources aren’t unlimited, and a recent study shows us that an average person uses at least 127,000 gallons of water every year, which affects plumbing costs, statistics confirm. Efficient use of water will not only ensure we have enough water for today but also for future generations.

3. In the US, the price of water varies based on where you live.

(Circle of Blue)

According to a survey of water usage and price across 30 different regions in the US, the residential plumbing industry shows notable variances between cities and states. If we take, for example, an average family of four using 400 gallons of water per day, the same family will pay around $34 monthly in Phoenix or $65 in Boston. It all depends on where your home is located.

4. The modern toilet as we know it was only introduced in the 1900s.

(Perfect for Home)

Until this time, flushing toilets did exist, but not as we know them today. Before the flushing toilet, there were outhouses that were separate from the main house. In the early 1900s, rich people and places that rich people frequented started installing an early version of the modern toilet.

Indoor Plumbing Statistics

Did you know that only 1% of the US population had indoor plumbing in 1900? Learn more about it in this section.

5. Small plumbing leaks can waste around 10,000 gallons of water per year.

(EPA)

Around 10% of US homes have leak problems that waste around 90 gallons of water per day, which can lead us to waste around 10,000 gallons of water every year. In the case of home water damage, plumbing statistics indicate that these leaks usually occur due to worn toilet flappers or dripping faucets, which are pretty easy to fix. Fixing these small leaks can save you up to 10% on your water bill each month.

6. In the United States in 1900, only 1% of the population had indoor plumbing.

(PMMag)

When the U.S. Census was first conducted, most questions were about housing. But now, in the modern era, some of these inquiries include plumbing.

According to the plumbing statistics, in 1900, very few US households had indoor plumbing. By 1940, that number increased by 55%. Now, it’s reported that over 99% of households have indoor plumbing. It would be strange to find any real estate in the US that didn’t have indoor plumbing.

7. Nearly 820 million people in India don’t have proper indoor plumbing.

(Take Part)

Following the indoor plumbing statistics by country, proper sanitation facilities (a toilet connected to a septic system) are just a dream for over 818 million people in India and another 607 million in China. This often leaves these people to do their business in the bushes, in the field, or on the streets.

Plumbing Employment Statistics

In this section, we’ll be looking at plumbing as a profession.

8. In the US alone, there are approximately 480,600 licensed plumbers.

(Career Explorer)

In 2016 in Texas, plumbing statistics show that there were around 42,000 plumbers (more recent data shows up to 58,000 licensed plumbers), and there were even more in California, 47,600. The state with the fewest licensed plumbers was Vermont, with just 720.

9. In the UK, plumbing has proven to be the one profession that best survives any economic recession.

(Heating & Ventilating)

Given that we’re currently caught in a global pandemic that has had dire economic consequences around the world, it’s important that we take note of the professions that are still doing well. Plumbing and heating industry statistics show that plumbers seem to be okay, even during economic recessions. Whether it’s to clear pipes or fix a tankless water heater, plumbers will always be needed.

10. Plumbers typically need to complete a 4–5 year apprenticeship to become trade experts.

(National Careers, Career Explorer)

Plumbers usually make $51,000 a year. However, if they want to advance further in their careers and earn more, it will take them at least 4–5 years.

Plumbing Statistics on Health and Sanitation

Plumbing can greatly affect health and sanitation. We’ll be exploring this subject in the following section.

11. Poor sanitation leads to a lot of diseases.

(World Health Organization)

At least 10% of the world’s population eats agriculture that’s irrigated by wastewater. This leads to poor health, as well as stunted social and economic development. The combination of poor sanitation facilities and polluted food leads to 700,000 children dying from diarrhea and malnutrition every year—almost 2,000 kids every day.

12. Two billion people do not have toilets or latrines.

(World Health Organization)

According to the plumbing statistics from 2017, only 45% of the people in the whole world had safe sanitation facilities. Furthermore, only 31% (2.4 billion) had private sanitation facilities (toilets connected to sewers).

Most of those who don’t have toilets or latrines live in India, China, or Africa. Nigeria has the best economy in the whole of Africa ($510 billion); however, it has over 100 million citizens who don’t have proper sanitation facilities.

13. In South Africa, around 4,500 or more schools still make use of pit latrines.

(BBC)

These are incredibly dehumanizing and dangerous. There are multiple reports of children falling into these pit latrines and dying.

Plumbing History Facts

Here, we’ll be looking at interesting historical facts on plumbing.

14. The word “plumber” harkens back to ancient Rome.

(Historical Production and Uses of Lead)

The word “plumber” originates way back to the Roman Empire. It originally comes from the Latin word plumbum, which means “lead.” Lead was a material often used in drain pipes in ancient Rome.

15. Standardized plumbing takes us back to nearly 3000 BCE.

(New World Encyclopedia)

One of the interesting facts about plumbing is that it goes way back to 2700 BCE when the Indus Valley civilization used natural pipes made of earth to provide water and clean waste from drains.

16. The flushable toilet was first envisioned in 1596.

(History)

An English courtier and Queen Elizabeth’s godson, Sir John Harington, was the first to describe the flushable toilet in 1596. His invention needed a 2 ft deep bowl made waterproof with the help of resin, pitch, and wax, and the water came from a cistern kept one floor above it. According to the historical plumbing facts, his flushable toilet required 7.5 gallons of water. He claimed that around 20 people could use the toilet between flushes. We’ve come so far since then, and we have to wonder what plumbing industry trends will arise in 2022.

17. Al Moen invented single-handle faucets in 1939.

(Moen)

In 1939, Al Moen designed the single-handle faucet, and in 1947, he began its manufacturing. The first 12 of these were sold for $12 each. In 1950, he gained national recognition for supplying Hotpoint’s first prefabricated kitchen with his invention. His faucets made a big boom and were very useful for everyone.

Interesting Facts About Plumbing

This section is dedicated to some intriguing fun facts about plumbers and plumbing.

18. Our favorite video game characters were plumbers!

(USA Today)

When Mario and Luigi (from the video game Super Mario) first appeared in 1981, they were carpenters. However, over time, their main occupation became plumbing. In 2017, Nintendo announced that the famous brothers had changed their occupation again and were no longer plumbers.

19. People flush the toilet more during Super Bowl halftime than any other time.

(Howell)

Considering that during the Super Bowl, people eat 4 million kilograms of popcorn, 13 million kilograms of potato chips, and 1 billion chicken wings, this fact doesn’t seem that shocking.

20. We spend around 92 days on the toilet in our lives.

(Unilad)

One of the more interesting plumbing facts is that a person spends around 92 days sitting on the toilet during their lifetime. On average, men spend more time on the toilet, around 1 hour and 45 minutes each week, compared to women, who spend an average of 85 minutes weekly.

21. Three out of four people put the toilet paper with the flap in front.

(Bosworth)

It’s interesting that over $100,000 was spent to determine these plumbing stats: do most people place their toilet paper with the flap in front or behind.

To Sum Up

As you can see, plumbing statistics up to 2022 show how important plumbing and plumbers are. Keep in mind that there are a lot of people in this world who don’t have the same opportunities as we do, so we shouldn’t waste water when we don’t have to. We should save it for tomorrow.

Plumbing industry statistics show that this market is growing, and we can see that it’s growing pretty fast. Keep an open eye on your pipes, and don’t let yourself think about plumbing only when it’s too late.

FAQ

Was Albert Einstein a plumber?

After saying that he would be a plumber if he had to live his life all over again, Albert Einstein became an honorary member of the Plumbers and the Steamfitters Union.

(Local Rooter & Plumbing, Green Apple Mechanical)

How many plumbers are in the US?

There are currently around 480,600 plumbers in the United States. It’s expected that this particular job market will grow by 15.6% between 2016 and 2026.

(Career Explorer)

How big is the plumbing industry?

In 2013, the plumbing industry was worth $95 billion. However, according to more recent plumbing industry statistics, that number surpassed $110 billion in 2019.

(Z Plumberz)

Is the plumbing industry growing?

According to the Bureau of Labor’s plumbing industry statistics, the growth rate should be as high as 25% over the next 10 years.

(Z Plumberz)

How many plumbers are in Texas?

According to the Sunset Advisory Commission, the state of Texas had around 58,000 licensed plumbers in 2018. Texas comes in second only to California based on the number of licensed plumbers.

(Sunset Staff Review, Career Explorer)

Who is the richest plumber?

The richest plumber in the world is British plumber Charlie Mullins. He left school at the age of 15 and became an entrepreneur, starting his business Pimlico Plumbers in 1979. His company is worth around £70 million ($87.9 million USD).

(The Sun)

Do plumbers make 100K a year?

An average plumber starts out at $30,000 a year. However, over time one can reach a wage of $60,000. Only master plumbers have salaries that are around $100,000 or more, according to plumbing statistics.

(Student Loan Planner)