#nsf-61

Remarkable technological innovations and developments have marked the years since the Wright Brothers made their first “heavier-than-air” flight in 1910. Fifty years after, humans had set their foot on the moon, and at present, human-made spacecraft are already teetering at the edges of the Solar System. Within that span of barely a century, humans have achieved great technological advancements which were unprecedented in human history. These great technological advancements were inspired and engendered by great minds in various fields of endeavors. Some fields of endeavors, however, are lagging behind other fields of endeavors when it comes to technological advancements, and it seems that inertia has wielded its force on these fields of endeavors. If you would look, for example, at the field of plumbing engineering, you would readily see that some ancient plumbing products are still in use nowadays. It is good enough that some enterprising and innovative companies are already pioneering the development of innovative joints of pipes, pipe stiffeners, and restrained couplings nowadays; otherwise, the plumbing industry would still be wallowing in the quagmire of lack of innovation.

Since most plumbing systems around the world have been there for several decades, manufacturers of plumbing products like pipe joint, couplings, and pipe stiffeners have been smugly satisfied with what they are manufacturing. This complacency in producing innovative products has led to lack of innovation in the field of plumbing engineering with the exception of a few companies that are bent on creating innovative products to enhance and improve the plumbing systems of the world. These select few have greatly enhanced plumbing systems by designing and engineering revolutionary couplings and clamping systems that can readily facilitate the repair and replacement of the damaged parts of the plumbing systems. Kudos to these enterprising companies, for without them, the plumbing systems of the world would be stuck in their ancient ways and systems.

The Improvement and Expansion of Plumbing Engineering

Even if the rest of the fields of the engineering such as Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and other engineering fields have already achieved remarkable technological progress, the Plumbing Engineering which is usually relegated as an understudy of Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, has definitely lagged behind in terms of technological advancements. The fact that some civil societies are still stuck to their ancient pipelines and plumbing systems attests to the fact that Plumbing Engineering has not yet come of age. However, with the feverish technological advancements in software engineering which definitely has trickled down to the rest of the engineering fields, it should not be far from now for plumbing engineering to improve itself.

It is really quite difficult to develop new and innovative ways of doing things if you are not capable of out-of-the-box thinking. Creative minds usually project themselves beyond the existing ways of doing things and try to see the different angles relative to a particular existing method. Similarly, in the field of plumbing engineering, it is so easy to be satisfied with the old methods of laying out pipes and plumbing systems, and so forgo innovation along the way. Although it often requires a keen understanding of the existing methods of plumbing systems to come up with innovative and novel plumbing products, it also requires ingenuity and creativity to come up with innovative products and ideas for plumbing systems.

The Standardization of Water Distribution Products

The standardization process of various products used in water distribution and water treatment was just recently incorporated and imposed upon manufacturers of water distribution and water treatment products. The NSF-61, for example, which sets criteria for the manufacture of most water system components, including those products such as paints, cements, coatings, gaskets, adhesives, water meters, lubricants, filters, HDPE pipes, pipe joint, fittings, faucets, pipe stiffeners, wasn’t there before. It was only recently implemented, and it is good that nowadays, manufacturers are already required to be cognizant of the different rules that govern the manufacturing of these products.

The Biospheric Recycling of Mother Earth

If humans are but few in this world, there would surely be no need for elaborate plumbing systems, for Mother Earth would surely do her own part of converting air, solid waste, and water into fresh air and water. However, human population is incrementally increasing; hence, there is a need for innovative plumbing systems to ensure that the conveyance of water and even waste water to their specific places of storage and disposals are properly done.

Plumbing engineers are continuously devising new methods on how to improve and enhance the plumbing systems of today. The works of plumbing engineers usually overlap with chemical engineers, civil, and mechanical; however, it is the plumbing engineers who are in better position to spearhead the improvement of the present plumbing systems around the world via their observations and via their consultations with engineers of other fields. Plumbing engineers can devise new and efficient methods of plumbing systems, and they can enhance the sustainability of the sites and the systems, the facilitation of pollution control systems, the efficiency of the energy system distribution, and the protection of the end-consumers from accidents due to faulty plumbing systems.  

How Plumbing Engineers Work With Engineers of Other Fields?