Des Moines, Iowa — Plumbing leaders throughout the state came together at the Iowa state capitol Thursday for Iowa’s first Plumbing Industry Day to promote awareness about a profession so ubiquitous with modernity and public health it can be overlooked. Plumbing industry days are organized to bring together experts and champions within the plumbing community to provide firsthand experiences and recommendations to legislators and staff on policies that improve public health, water quality, and economic sustainability.
In conversations with legislators and legislative staff, the group focused on:
The Iowa plumbing industry includes manufacturing, wholesale, and retail and has a combined direct economic impact exceeding $426 million. Additionally, manufacturing in the industry supports more than 1,800 jobs, paying more than $112 million in wages, and helps generate more than $86 million in tax revenue.
Plumbing industry days are part of IAPMO’s annual March4Water celebration, which unites policymakers, industry leaders, and communities to address the pressing issues impacting water systems, from natural disasters to aging and over or undersized infrastructure that increases the strain placed on plumbing systems.
“Plumbing systems safely manage water and waste, ensure clean drinking water, and proper waste disposal,” said Ron Lord, IAPMO director of Field Services. “Without modern plumbing, diseases like cholera and typhoid could spread easily due to contaminated water sources and poor sanitation. Safe and reliable water systems don’t happen by chance — they require skilled plumbing professionals governed by effective codes and standards.
“As Iowa faces increasing demands on its water infrastructure, it is essential that we support policies that protect public health, promote economic opportunity, and ensure access to clean, safe water.”
In addition to Lord, IAPMO was represented by Mark Osmack, director of Government Relations, and Angela Caulk of Shine Strategies Government Affairs. Also participating were plumbing industry representatives from across the state: UA Locals 33 and 125; Iowa Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors Association; Mechanical Contractors Association of Iowa.
IAPMO®, a global team of experts engaging industry and government for a safer built environment, and its charitable foundation, the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH®), are proud to celebrate 10 years as a WorldSkills Global Industry Partner. IAPMO and IWSH celebrated the milestone this week at the annual General Assembly of WorldSkills International Members in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
A first-of-its-kind workshop for African World Plumbing Council (WPC) member organizations was held alongside the WorldSkills Africa 2025 capacity-building program for Plumbing, hosted at the Fountain Gate Craft & Trades School in Lusaka, Zambia, from Sept. 1-5. This workshop assembled a team of proactive WPC representatives from Zambia, South Africa, and Rwanda for a first in-person meeting of WPC member organizations on the continent.
ASSE International is seeking working group members to update four professional qualification standards: ASSE 13000 Standard for Service Plumber and Residential Mechanical Service Technician; ASSE 15000 Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems; ASSE 27000 Standard for Hybrid Fire Extinguishing Systems Personnel; and ASSE 29000 Standard for Personnel Related to Safe Pressure Testing of Piping Systems.