IAPMO Launches Month-Long Event to Recognize Plumbing Industry’s Positive Role in Building Resiliency and Protecting Public Health
March4Water is a new annual observance month launching in March 2023 by The IAPMO Group. More than 2.3 billion people globally do not have access to safely managed drinking water, and more than 2.2 million people in the United States live without running water or basic plumbing in their homes. The IAPMO Group recognizes the importance of safe and effective plumbing systems in keeping families and communities healthy and resilient.
March4Water brings together plumbing professionals and water advocates to raise awareness of how water and plumbing impact our lives. Each week in March — which also includes World Plumbing Day (March 11) and World Water Day (March 22) — will focus on the different roles water plays in our lives and the need to ensure our communities are safeguarded and ready for the future:
Week 1: How Plumbing Protects Public Health + Safety
Week 2: Effective Codes and Standards to Help Disaster Mitigation + Recovery
Week 3: Emerging Technologies for Water Sustainability + Efficiency
Week 4: Safe Clean Water for All: Assuring Affordability + Equity
“More than ever, our communities face new challenges related to water and wastewater systems,” said Dave Viola, The IAPMO Group CEO and World Plumbing Council deputy chair. “Extreme weather events, sea level rise, and the aging infrastructure systems that govern our water supply increase the risks to our families without strong science-based codes and standards.”
Building on World Plumbing Day — March 11, Every Year, Everywhere — IAPMO will focus each week of March on a specific role the plumbing industry plays in protecting health and safety worldwide.
Throughout March, IAPMO will host policymaker briefings, offering free webinars on emerging water technologies and providing public awareness materials, while the association’s International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) will continue its annual World Plumbing Day international poster competition for children.
“March4Water is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the hardworking professionals and organizations on the front lines of water safety, and to come together to create plans for more resilient communities,” said Dain Hansen, IAPMO executive vice president of Government Relations. “By recognizing the vital role water plays in our lives, we can raise awareness and prioritize resources to ensure access to clean, safe water for all.”
IAPMO® is proud to be a diamond sponsor and administrating organization at the 2025 ANSI Innovation Summit this week. Formerly World Standards Week, the ANSI Innovation Summit is an annual event that convenes the Institute's members and private- and public-sector stakeholders from across the standards and conformity assessment communities to come together, learn from each other, and showcase their important work.
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.
