Influential Women Plumbers
For several decades women have been shaping America’s plumbing industry. Thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Plumbers, equality in the business has changed for the better. Starting with the first master plumber, Lillian Ann Baumbach, the plumbing industry has grown more inclusive.
Women Plumbers
As the economy changes, an increasing number of women are continuing to enter the plumbing business. Currently, it is estimated that 5% of all plumbers are female. Because of a few crucial plumbing pioneers, more women than ever are forging their history.
The women who enter the plumbing industry do so for the same reasons as men. In addition to job security, an average salary can start at $40,000 per year after training. This allows women in all communities to earn a steady income without needing to relocate.
The career ladder is tall for plumbers who wish to earn more throughout their lifetime. Licensed local plumbers can diagnose plumbing issues and install fixtures, whereas a project manager can oversee multiple employees for residential and commercial plumbing businesses.
A plumbing schedule can be more flexible for women with families than for other careers. Depending on the level of training, women can own their businesses or work as a contractor on an as-needed basis. This is especially appealing to women with children.
Women Plumbing Organizations
The Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Plumbers was created as a social group in the early 20th century. It was designed for the wives of plumbers to discuss their personal lives and support one another. Eventually, this club turned into a women’s activist group.
The auxiliary committee lobbied for a variety of issues, including labor laws. They were able to improve sanitation practices in grocery stores and gas stations. By making public bathrooms cleaner, this organization limited the spread of disease and increased its authority.
The committee supported female plumbers just one year before women could vote. Since then, the auxiliary has partnered with the National Association and is led by almost entirely women.
The First Master Plumber: Lillian Ann Baumbach
Lillian Ann Baumbach was born in 1930s Arlington, Virginia. Her father founded the company W.J. Baumbach Plumbing and Heating with her uncles. Surrounded by a group of family plumbers, Lillian Baumbach began learning the trade as a child.
At age 12 she accompanied her father on local jobs during flooding emergencies. It was then that she received her first plumber’s kit. By the time Lillian Baumbach was 21 she was officially licensed as a master plumber.
Known as the “Pretty Plumber” she appeared on two television programs and was later interviewed by Walter Cronkite. She continued to help her father’s business throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, even after earning her independent reputation. Today women are following Ms. Baumbach’s footsteps throughout the country.
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