Most Americans think of indoor plumbing as a modern luxury enjoyed by almost everyone in our society. That is true, but you may be surprised to learn just how many Americans live without hot and cold running water, a flushing toilet, a bathtub, or a shower. According to US Census Bureau stats from 2008-2012 recently published by The Washington Post, as many as 630,000 or 0.5% of occupied homes in the country lack one of the above criteria. Even in Montgomery and Bucks County, where Benjamin Franklin Plumbing provides hot water heater repairs in Villanova and other towns, underplumbed rates are 0.287% and 0.145% respectively.

An interactive map featured on the Washington Post website allows readers to search by county to see exactly where the disparities are. People who use the map will find that counties housing Indian reservations have very high percentages of households without plumbing. For instance, 14 percent of homes in Shannon County, SD, and 17 percent in Apache County, AZ lack plumbing. High percentages are also found in sparsely populated areas of Alaska.

America has come a long way since the start of the 20th century when indoor plumbing was reserved for wealthy families who lived in highly populated areas, but clearly, these findings show that plumbing-related economic gaps still exist. Over time technologies tend to become more affordable for the masses, but they only benefit everyone when somebody advocates for the underprivileged. Benjamin Franklin does its part by offering the best deals we can on installations and providing water heater repair in Levittown and beyond.