ONTARIO, Calif., March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- We've all seen the stereotypical image of a plumber, heavy tool belt tugging his pants down to reveal more than the source of your leaky faucet. But how often do you consider the plumber who designed, installed and maintains the system that transports clean, safe water into your home, office or school and carries the dirty water safely away?

With encouragement from the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students across the United States will learn on Thursday the many ways in which plumbers make their schools and homes safe and healthy every day.  

The World Plumbing Council (WPC) has established March 11 as World Plumbing Day, an annual celebration of the plumbing industry's vital work on behalf of the planet and its people. The inaugural event Thursday aims to help the public better understand how the plumbing industry protects the nation's health and safety, demonstrate the extent to which it works to limit mankind's environmental footprint and to illuminate other important work performed by contractors, inspectors, installers, engineers, manufacturers and academicians that is often taken for granted.

IAPMO, publisher of the American National Standard designated Uniform Plumbing Code©, is an enthusiastic supporter of World Plumbing Day and to that end developed an elementary school educational activity book and contest to promote awareness of the celebration. The association approached grade school administrators about participation in World Plumbing Day by devoting a segment of Thursday's curriculum to learning activities -- including a coloring page, word search and pipe sizing exercise -- devised for third through fifth grade students. Students who complete their grade level's activity are then eligible to win one of three Nintendo Wii game systems, compliments of IAPMO.

"The construction industry has been a mainstay in Riverside County's economy for decades," said Kenneth Young, Riverside (California) County superintendent of schools. "Many of our young people today will make a career in that industry. Plumbing is a foundational construction trade and I want to pledge the Riverside County Office of Education's support and participation in the celebration of World Plumbing Day."

Activity booklets, fact sheets and other relevant information are available to download at http://www.iapmo.org/Pages/WorldPlumbingDayContest.aspx. Additional information about World Plumbing Day, including a list of other planned events, can be found at www.worldplumbingday.org. Contact Gaby Davis at (909) 472-4203.

SOURCE IAPMO

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.iapmo.org
http://www.worldplumbingday.org