13 Nov Thanksgiving Plumbing: What You Need to Know
11/13/2015
By: Karli Willden
Let’s face it, life without indoor plumbing would really stink, quite literally. Can you even imagine what life would be like? I mean, it seems everybody has indoor plumbing, right? Actually, you’d be surprised to find out there are more people, even in America, who don’t have indoor plumbing. According to the American Community Survey, nearly 630,000 of occupied US households lack either a toilet, a shower, a tub, or running water. Can you even imagine that?
The Census Bureau says the average household in America has 2.6 individuals, which means more than 1.6 million people are living without indoor plumbing! And that is just in America, one of the wealthier nations in the world. America has even come a long way, in terms of the number of people who have complete plumbing facilities.
According to the Washington Post, one quarter of U.S households did not have a flush toilet in 1950. That is a big jump from 65 years ago! It is something to be grateful for. Other countries are not yet as fortunate in terms of indoor plumbing and sanitary facilities. Listed below are the top ten countries with the greatest population without bathrooms or sanitary facilities, from the statistics of The Economic Times.
- India: 638 million
- Indonesians:58 million
- China: 50 million
- Ethiopia: 49 million
- Pakistan: 48 million
- Nigeria: 33 million
- Sudan: 17 million
- Brazil: 13 million
- Niger:12 million
In comparison to other countries, our whopping 1.6 million Americans without plumbing looks rather small. As Thanksgiving is right around the corner, plumbing and running water would not be a bad thing to be grateful for. The statistics above show how unfortunate many people are to not have the simple things, such as running water or indoor plumbing. It is often taken for granted in America, until something is not functioning right. Then people realize the convenience of indoor plumbing.
It would be better, however, for Americans to simply be grateful and not have to experience what it is like to not have running water or indoor plumbing. If by chance you do, however, Mathews Plumbing and Heating is always available to do plumbing repairs and provide plumbing services to prevent bigger problems. This Thanksgiving season, Mathews Plumbing provides a few suggestions to help keep your plumbing running smoothly.
Tips to Avoid Plumbing Issues on Thanksgiving:
- Turn on the disposal prior to dumping food into it
- Dump fats and cooking oils in the trash, not down the drain
- Avoid putting starch waste down the drain, like gravy
- Pace the number of showers taken with house guests
- Avoid putting anything other than toilet paper down the toilet, or expect clogs
If you do by chance encounter a plumbing issue around the holidays, Mathews Plumbing and Heating is available to provide for your needs. We love to provide customers these basic necessities of life to ensure the convenience each deserves. If you or your family needs plumbing work done, Mathews Plumbing and Heating would love to assist you. Give Mathews Plumbing a call today at 208-357-3439.