Prior to 1817, water pipes carrying water under the streets to the houses in towns and cities in Britain were made of elm logs, with a hole bored through them. These water pipes were no more than 180 mm in internal bore, leaked greatly at the joints, resulting in a need for several pipes to be laid side-by-side and also only low water pressure being available and the leakage causing major damage to the roads. In 1817, during the house building boom, the City of London decreed that subsequently all water pipes were to be made of cast iron. The new water pipes could be made with a larger bore, had tightly fitting joints which did not leak, and as a result higher water pressure could be supplied with less damage to the roads above. This increased water pressure meant that water could be delivered to the upper storeys of houses where the newly invented faucet tap was installed, and the modern bathroom was invented. The cast iron water pipes themselves gave way to steel pipes at the start of the 20th century, and these in turn to concrete, pottery and plastic. Research Water Pipe
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Research Water Pipe
