Plumbing

Washington, D.C. — More than 1.57 million Americans live without a toilet or tap at home, costing the U.S. economy $8.58 billion every year, according to a report produced by DigDeep with contributions from partners including the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO^®).

Titled “Draining: The Economic Impact of America’s Hidden Water Crisis,” the report provides an in-depth analysis of the costs and benefits of extending water and sanitation access to every home in the United States. The $8.58 billion annual figure averages out to $15,800 per household in health care, time spent collecting and paying for bottled water, loss of time at work and school, and premature death. The full report is available online at digdeep.org/draining.

Produced by DigDeep, a nonprofit organization working to improve access to clean running water in U.S. communities, the report includes contributions from partners including Altarum, the American Heart Association, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and IAPMO. It builds on and reinforces key recommendations from DigDeep’s earlier report on the topic: “Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States: A National Action Plan.”

The report attributes the following statistics to the water access gap:

• $15,800 — the annual cost, per household, to the U.S. economy for each household without access to running water or basic plumbing. It includes health care costs, time spent collecting and paying for bottled water, loss of time at work or school, and premature death.
• 219,000 — the annual number of waterborne illnesses, including Legionella.
• 71,000 — the annual number of cases of mental illness
• 68.7 million — the annual number of work hours lost
• $1 billion — the annual loss in U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• 610 — annual premature deaths
• $8.58 billion — total annual cost to the U.S. economy

“While speaking to communities for our 2019 report, we heard devastating stories about impacts to people’s health, employment, leisure time, and general well-being,” DigDeep Founder and CEO George McGraw said. “Now we are finally able to measure the true magnitude of those impacts in real dollars. We must close the water access gap. As this report shows, we can’t afford not to.”

While the water access gap is wide and deep, it is solvable — to the benefit of numerous parties even beyond the individuals and families suffering from a lack of access to water and sanitation. With the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts of 2021, $55 billion in water-specific infrastructure funding is available to be spent over the next five years.

Since much of that investment will be used to upgrade and repair existing systems, DigDeep notes that targeted investments are needed for new access and to close the water gap for good.

The report’s authors suggest the following action steps to solve the problem:

• Expand and refocus federal and state funding. Closing the water access gap requires more funding, more flexibility in funding, and funding for interim solutions and new technologies. These efforts should build on the $55 billion in water-specific funding authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts of 2021.
• Use data to bring visibility to communities. Currently, no central entity collects data on the scope of the U.S. water access gap. Federal data collection must be accompanied by outreach to vulnerable communities to assist them in using data for advocacy and designing solutions.
• Define the water access gap as a crisis. Many countries, and the United Nations, have recognized the urgency of water access by passing resolutions recognizing the human right to water and sanitation. The U.S. federal government should signal its leadership on this issue by doing the same.
• Build a domestic Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) sector. Closing the water access gap will only be possible if led by a dedicated “community of practice” made up of NGOs, funders, research institutions, government agencies, and impacted communities working together toward a shared goal.

“As a technical adviser for this report, IAPMO was pleased to work with the broad coalition of organizations that contributed to this research, and we wholeheartedly endorse these recommendations,” IAPMO Executive Vice President of Government Relations Dain Hansen said. “Access to clean water and safe sanitation is a basic right, and closing the water access gap means advancing equity and righting historical wrongs. IAPMO is proud to be a strong advocate for every community to be able to access the financial and technical resources required to close this water and sanitation access gap.”

One particular repair problem got personal for Austin L. Montanti, owner of Montanti Mechanical – a commercial and residential renovation firm based on Staten Island, NY.

“I purchased an apartment on Staten Island for myself – and quickly realized that the shut-off valves for the kitchen and bathroom sinks didn’t work,” he recalls.

Time is money for guys like Montanti. “We insist on prompt, professional service,” he says. “And over 10 years, we’ve built a pretty solid network of satisfied customers in the New York City area – with 100% of our business coming from word-of-mouth.”

That’s why he grew concerned when building managers wouldn’t quickly shut off apartment water. So facing an unacceptable delay of several more hours, Montanti acted fast – and “outside the box.”

Pipe Freezing Kit Provides The Solution

He grabbed his new Cold-Shot^® Pipe Freezing Kit from General Pipe Cleaners.

General’s innovative, time-saving tool eliminates the need to drain water lines, sprinkler systems or hot water systems before cutting pipe or tubing.

Using Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) in dip tube-type cylinders, Cold-Shot quickly and safely freezes liquids in steel, copper, cast iron, aluminum and plastic pipes, 1/8 inch (10mm) through 2 inch (60mm) in diameter.

With Cold-Shot keeping the system fully pressurized, Montanti rapidly replaced all the valves in just 30 minutes – without closing the main supply or draining any lines before effecting repairs.

Fast, Easy & Economical To Use

“It was actually the first time I used it,” Montanti smiles. “Cold-Shot was really easy-to-use!”

Just place the freeze head around the pipe, attach the hose and open the cylinder valve. Liquid carbon dioxide then flows into the tool’s freeze heads and forms dry ice at a temperature of -110F° (-79C°). That’s cold enough to form an ice pack that withstands 7,000 PSI – yet won’t damage lines.

General’s total package includes 10 sets of freeze heads, two high pressure spiral hoses with injectors, T-distributor, locking nut, hex head screwdriver, rubber gloves, goggles and carrying case.

From experience, Montanti figures that Cold-Shot saves his company money, too.

Without Cold-Shot, he calculates that conventional valve repair charges would total “about $400.” “So with Cold-Shot added to our list of Montanti Mechanical services, it quickly pays for itself!”

Speed and efficiency questions evaporated with Cold-Shot use. General’s product kept Montanti’s apartment water supply fully operational during his spot repairs – despite rather uncooperative apartment managers.

“And there also seems to be a misconception that freezing pipes is costly – and requires expensive refrigeration equipment. Nope!” he adds. “I rented the CO₂ gas from my local welding supply shop for about $25.”

The Bottom Line

Shortly thereafter, some of Austin Montanti’s clients coincidentally experienced problems with faulty water main valves – and Cold-Shot efficiently and safely handled those, as well.

“I’ve never felt compelled enough to write a testimonial about anything in my life,” Montanti notes. “But I wrote General thanking them for their detailed design and solid product.”

Cold-Shot continues providing yeoman service to Montanti Mechanical. “Our Cold-Shot kit continues working amazingly well!” owner Montanti beams.

To see the Cold Shot in action, visit www.drainbrain.com/coldshot. For more information, contact General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200.

Often, plumbing businesses go under the radar when it comes to online marketing, perhaps they have an established offline brand already, or they don’t have the technical skills to build an effective website and marketing campaign, but doing so can grow a local business quickly. Below you can find five tips on where to start with online marketing for your plumbing business.    

Get Professional Help

If nothing is working, and you are not seeing the results that you are hoping for, then you need to enlist the help of a professional. There are independent marketing consultants that you can hire to help you with your marketing, or you can look into someone like Top Marketing Agency who can provide you with the marketing services to boost your business. It’s entirely down to you which of these options is going to suit your business best, but professional help is always a good choice for your marketing. At the very least, these people keep up with new marketing trends so that you don’t have to.

Google Business Profile

When marketing any business online, you have to think like a customer; if someone in your local area needs a plumbing service, the first thing they are likely to do is to go online and search for plumbing services near me. In these circumstances, you want your plumbing service to appear. 

Claiming your Google business listing is very straightforward, and it helps the search engine algorithm to make your business more visible on search engine results. Simply find your business on Google Maps, click on it, and press click Claim this Business, or Manage Now.    

Build a Plumbing Brand 

If you want your plumbing business to flourish online, it’s a good idea to build an effective brand. Branding is a way to focus your business and create an image that customers recognize and trust for the right reasons. Start by thinking about your services, the local area, and your values. 

Build your plumbing brand from the inside out, and you can feel confident that the company’s self-image has integrity. When you have created the value system for the business, start thinking about the logo, colors, and slogan. The brand should be visible and consistent in the business.  

Build an Effective Website 

Making a website for your business means more than having an online presence; your website needs to accomplish a myriad of tasks; it also needs to be designed in the right way so that customers can find you easily through the search engine and you can market your services. 

There’s no reason why you can’t create a website yourself, but it probably won’t have the same form and functionality as one designed by Red Spot Design. Professionally designed websites are ten times more effective, and although they cost money upfront, they save time and hassle.  

Use Google Ads 

There are two ways to make yourself visible to customers on search engines, one of them is to create a professional website and produce quality plumbing content regularly to help you to move up the organic search results. The other is to invest in Google ads a go straight to the top. 

Google ads take you to the top of the search results page without having to create lots of content; simply create your ad on their website and set your marketing budget; you will only pay when an ad is clicked. They are perfect advertising for people that need an emergency plumber. 

Use Email Marketing 

When someone interacts with your website or offline business, try to acquire their email address which can be very useful for email marketing campaigns. These campaigns send emails with information with offers and discounts for your services. Acquire emails with gated content online.