IAPMO

On this day in 1926, 39 plumbing inspectors formed what would become our organization: IAPMO. These are our origins.

They recognized a flaw in the trades: people were dying or becoming ill from unsafe plumbing. Their response was to unite, standardize the trade, and protect public health through safe plumbing.

Here is how our first few decades unfolded:

1931: Work officially began on the very first Standard Plumbing Code.

1936: The Standard Plumbing Code was approved; our Research Committee (the precursor to the modern IAPMO R&T) was established by a vote!

1945: The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) was born. To ensure rapid adoption, it wasn't up for sale; rather, it was mailed to cities upon request.

1950: The Research Committee began inspecting factories that manufactured plumbing products; this added a layer of oversight to products and code compliance before they reached the public.

So, IAPMO's history was, in part, the history of safer plumbing advancements in America.

Where did we go after the 1950s? Our next chapter in the timeline is coming soon!

The 2027 Code Books are currently in production as part of the next generation of industry safety codes.

Please monitor official channels for upcoming announcements regarding publication dates.