A few years back, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared plumbers to be one of the most important frontline health workers in the world.

With their knowledge and expertise, plumbers design systems that give us access to clean water sources. That clean water can be used for everything from practicing proper hygiene to sanitizing operating rooms.

Sustainable health is not possible without clean water.

"Fresh water is in finite supply on Earth and as the key to life is, without question, our planet’s most precious natural resource," the WHO said in a statement.

"The plumbing industry recognizes the tenuous balance mankind must maintain to guarantee its very existence and embraces efforts to ensure we are preserving every drop possible.

In the near future, plumbers are going to be as important as ever. "If we do not alter our historical approaches to water supply expansion, we will only be able to provide a fraction of the world’s water demand in the next few decades," the WHO continued.

"By 2050, the world population is estimated to increase by 3 billion people, with 100 percent of this growth expected to be concentrated in urban areas. Within 20 years, the projected demand for water will increase between 40 and 50 percent. Although it was universally agreed that the water challenges ahead of us are daunting, the good news is it is not insurmountable."

But plumbing isn't only for the collection, transportation, and dispersal of clean water. It is also used to remove liquids and waste.

Plumbers ensure that waste disposal runs in an efficient and safe manner. This makes it possible to separate your clean water from harmful contaminants.

When plumbing is done poorly, it could allow for those contaminants to leak into undesirable areas, posing a danger to anyone nearby.  

Currently there are around 480,600 plumbers in the United States, but this number is expected to grow.

CareerExplorer rates plumbers with a B employability rating, meaning this career should provide good opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, the US might need 81,900 plumbers. That number is based on 75,200 additional plumbers, and the retirement of 6,700 existing professionals.

So we should get even more content from r/Plumbing!