Water Pipes

The History of Water Pipes

The earliest known evidence of a pipe being used for plumbing was found in Mesopotamia it is estimated to have been made around 3000 BC. The pipes were made from clay mixed with short lengths of straw. This was the first type of pipe to be used to transport water from different places. Both brass and copper pipes have been found in Egypt believed to have been constructed close to 2500 BC. The Romans used lead pipes, extensive use of lead pipe by joining sheets of lead into piping to carry their water supply and waste. Two millennia ago the ancient Romans made use of large aqueducts to transport water from higher elevations by building the aqueducts in graduated segments that allowed gravity to push the water along until it reached its destination later using them same idea in lead pipes building them under ground . Cast iron and ductile iron pipe was long and a lower costing alternative to copper before the advent of durable plastic materials but special non conductive fittings must be used where transitions are to be made to other metallic pipes, except for terminal and universal fittings, in order to avoid corrosion owing to electrochemical reactions (reactions from exposure to air) between dissimilar metals see galvanic cell Hundreds of these were built throughout Europe and overseas and along with flour mills were considered the lifeline of the Roman Empire. The Chinese also made use of aqueducts and pipe systems for public works. The famous Han Dynasty court ordered in 145 AD that the engineer to construct a series of pipe networks and square pallet chain pumps outside the capital city of Luoyang. These chain pumps delivered water and waste around the city quiet and easy at a cheap cost, serviced t...

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...cting the lead itself. What often causes confusion is the large amount of evidence of widespread lead poisoning, particularly amongst those who would have had easy access to piped water. This was an unfortunate result of lead being used in cookware and as an additive to processed food and drink, such as a preservative in wine. Roman lead pipe inscriptions provided information on the owner to prevent water theft.

Cast iron and ductile iron pipe was long a lower-cost alternative to copper, before the advent of durable plastic materials but special non-conductive fittings must be used where transitions are to be made to other metallic pipes, except for terminal fittings, in order to avoid corrosion owing to electrochemical reactions between dissimilar metals see cell. Bronze fittings and short pipe segments are commonly used in combination with various materials.