Plumbing, from the Latin for lead (plumbum), is the skilled trade of working with pipes and tubing for fluids such as water, sewage, steam and natural gas. Plumbing originated during the ancient civilizations such as Persian, Chinese, Indian and Roman civilizations as they developed public baths and needed to provide fresh water and drainage. The piping used to convey the water and waste was often made of lead. Since lead is highly toxic if consumed and dangerous to the environment, nearly all modern manufactured plumbing products and materials are lead free.

A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters and boilers.