Timeline of sanitation

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This is a timeline of sanitation, attempting to describe events covering sewage systems as well as sanitation facilities such as toilets. Due to some sharing events and the nature of the topic, this timeline may intersect with the timeline of hygiene, timeline of water supply and timeline of water treatment.

Big picture

Time period Development summary
Prehistoric times Early sanitation systems are built in the prehistoric Middle East, in the south-east of actual Iran near Zabol.[1]
Ancient times The oldest Chinese civilization already has pipes and plumbing in the structures.[2] Surface-based storm drainage systems are developed by the Babylonian and Mesopotamian Empires.[3] The Minoans and Harappans in Crete and the Indus valley civilization, all have well organized and operated sewer and drainage systems.[3] Hellenes and Romans are considered pioneers in developing basic sewerage and drainage technologies, with emphasis on sanitation in the urban environment.[3]
Medieval times Following a crisis in the maintenance of the sewers of the Roman cities occurring in the 3rd–4th centuries[3], very little progress is made during the Dark ages, circa 300 AD through to the middle of the 18th century.[3] Small natural waterways in medieval European cities, used for carrying off wastewater, are eventually covered over and function as sewers. Pail closets, outhouses, and cesspits are used to collect human waste. However, most cities do not have a functioning sewer system before the Industrial era, relying instead on nearby rivers or occasional rain showers to wash away the sewage from the streets.
1600s–1700s Rapid expansion of waterworks and pumping systems take place in Europe.[1]
1800s Around 1850 onwards, modern sewerage is “reborn”, but many of the principles grasped by the ancients are still in use today.[3] Indoor plumbing initiates in Europe and the United States.[4] "1800s-1900s: Sewer systems were constructed in many European and US cities, initially discharging untreated sewage to waterways. When discharge of untreated sewerage became increasingly unacceptable, experimentation towards improved treatment methods resulted in sewage farming, chemical precipitation, filtration, sedimentation, chemical treatment, and activated sludge treatment using aerobic microorganisms."[5] Earth closets are popular.[6] Late in the century, many cities start constructing extensive sewer systems to help control outbreaks of disease such as typhoid and cholera. Also, some cities begin to add chemical treatment and sedimentation systems to their sewers.[1] Flush toilets come into widespread use late in the century as well.[7]
1900s Most cities in the Western world add more expensive systems for sewage treatment.[1]
Recent years Worldwide, about 2,4 billion people lack sanitation, such as toilets or latrines. Every year, 5 million people die of waterborne diseases, including nearly 1,000 children dying every day due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrhoeal diseases.[8] At least 1,8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated. More than 80% of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any pollution removal.[9]

Full timeline

Year Event type Details Present time country/location
4000 BC The Babylonians introduce clay sewer pipes, with the earliest examples found in the Temple of Bel at Nippur and at Eshnunna, Babylonia.[1]
4000 BC–2500 BC Evidence of surface-based storm drainage systems in early Babylonian and Mesopotamian Empires in Iraq is found.[3] Iraq
3500 BC The making of alloy begins.[10]
3200 BC–2300 BC In the early Minoan civilization, issues related to sanitary techniques are considered of great importance. Advanced wastewater and stormwater management are practiced. In several Minoan palaces, one of the most important elements is the provision and distribution of water and the removal of waste and stormwater by means of sophisticated hydraulic works. The sewage and drainage systems are mainly stone structures. Stone conduits forme drains which lead rainwater from the courts outside the palaces, to eliminate the risk of flooding.[3] Greece
3200 BC–2200 BC Early drainage systems are built in Skara Brae, Scotland. Stone huts have drains with cubicles over them, probably used as toilets.[3] United Kingdom
3000 BC–2700 BC The Indus Valley Civilization shows early evidence of public water supply and sanitation, having developed flushing toilets, along with a working sewer system, to deal with the issues of waste disposal and indoor sanitation.[4][11][3] India
2600 BC – 1100 BC The ancient Greek civilization of Crete, known as the Minoan civilization, already uses underground clay pipes for sanitation and water supply.[1]
2350 BC The Indus city of Lothal provides all houses with their own private toilet which is connected to a covered sewer network constructed of brickwork held together with a gypsum-based mortar that empties either into the surrounding water bodies or alternatively into cesspits, the latter of which are regularly emptied and cleaned.[12][13][14] India
2100 BC The Egyptian city if Herakopolis has a system of removal of wastes, organic and inorganic to locations outside the living and/or communal areas, usually to the rivers. Finer houses have bathrooms and toilet seats made of limestone. Egypt
2100 BC The cities on the island of Crete have trunk sewers connecting homes.[10] Greece
2000 BC Descriptions of of foul water purification by boiling and filtering are written in Sanskrit.[5]
1800 BC "On Crete some toilets are flushed with water"
1200 BC Rich Egyptians use a container with sand for toilet, which is emptied by slaves.[15] Egypt
1200 BC An array of slag and scrap materials are brought with the beginning of the Iron Age.[10]
1046 – 256 BC "During the Zhou Dynasty in ancient China, sewers existed in various cities such as Linzi." China
800 BC–100 BC The Etruscan civilization has drainage channels on the sides of streets in its towns. The etruscan system is based both on the natural slope of the plateau and on an artificial modification. The Etruscan system is planned in order to avoid water runoff interacting with the two necropolis located between the urban area and the river Reno, where wastewater is usually discharged.[3] Italy
753 BC–476 AD " Urinal-style toilets were common features at public baths, making use of aqueduct technology to carry waste into sewers which emptied into the River Tiber." Italy
700 BC - 400 AD The Romans develop a very advanced technology for sanitation, including baths with flowing water,

and underground sewers and drains. The drains of Rome are intended primarily to carry away runoff from storms and to flush streets. The Cloaca Maxima sewage system, combines three functions: wastewater removal, rainwater removal and swamp drainage. The waste water removed by the city’s sewage system, some of which, like the Cloaca Maxima, is still in use today.[4] The Romans worship Cloacina, the goddess who presides over the Cloaca Maxima ("Greatest Drain"), the main trunk of the system of sewers in Rome.[16] || Italy

206 BC–24 AD Latrine use dates back to the Western Han Dynasty. A found toilet with running water, a stone seat and an armrest dates bak from this time.[17][18] China
200 BC – 100 BC In China Yellow Emperor’s Treatise on Internal Medicine dictates that "it is more important to prevent illness than to cure the illness when it has arisen". Clean water is known to be important in disease prevention so wells are covered, devices are used to filter water and the Chhii Shih (“sanitary police”) removes all animal and human corpses from waterways and buries all bodies found on land.[5] China
46 BC – 400 AD Roman settlements in the United Kingdom have complex sewer networks sometimes constructed out of hollowed–out elm logs, which are shaped so that they butt together with the down–stream pipe providing a socket for the upstream pipe.[1] United Kingdom
100 AD Roman sewers collect rainwater and sewage. There are public lavatories. [15] Italy
250 – 900 AD The Classic Mayans at Palenque have underground aqueducts and flush toilets.[1] Mexico
315 AD Statistics There are 144 public latrines in Rome.[19] Italy
1100s "At Portchester Castle monks built stone chutes leading to the sea. When the tide went in and out it flushed away the sewage."
1200 "In castles the toilet is a vertical shaft cut into the thickness of the walls with a stone seat on top."
1370 The first closed sewer constructed in Paris is designed by Hughes Aubird on Rue Montmartre, and is 300 meters long.[1] France
1388 The English Parliament bans dumping of waste in ditches and public waterways.[10] United Kingdom
1427 The first English public Act about sewerage issue is delivered.[19] United Kingdom
1530 Policy Decree issued in Paris requires that each new house must be equipped with a cesspool. Wastewater disposal in Paris starts being regulated.[19] France
1531 Sewage farms (wastewater used for irrigation and fertilizing agricultural land) are operated in Bunzlau, Silesia.[1]
1596 Sir John Harington invents a flush toilet for his godmother Queen Elizabeth I, that releases wastes into cesspools.[1] United Kingdom
1600s – 1700s Japanese cities collect human waste for use as crop fertilizer. This practice minimizes human contact with waste. Sewage is not discharged to rivers so pollution of waterways is minimized.[5] Japan
1636 Statistics Report mentions 24 sewers in Paris, of which only 6 are covered, and every of them is clogged or ruined.[19] France
1650 Sewage farms are operated in Edinburgh, Scotland.[5] United Kingdom
1676 (9 October) Using the newly invented microscope, Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek reports the discovery of microorganisms. With the microscope, for the first time, small material particles that were suspended in the water can be seen, laying the groundwork for the future understanding of waterborne pathogens and waterborne diseases.[20][21] Netherlands
1721 New decree issued in Paris requires property owners to pay for the cleaning of the covered

sewers beneath their buildings.[19] || France

1770s "1770s: A flurry of innovations saw development of the “S-trap”, plunger, and hinged valve, all of which were improvements but failed to completely seal off smelly sewer gases from below. 1775: The first patent for a flush toilet was awarded to Alexander Cummings (Scotland). 1800s: Toilets and sewer systems became increasingly common in England and the USA. 1910: Toilet designs changed to resemble the modern toilet with its low cistern and bowl."
1775 Scottish inventor Alexander Cumming is granted a patent for a flushing lavatory.[6] United Kingdom
1778 English inventor Joseph Brahmah designs an improved flushing lavatory.[6][22] United Kingdom
1789 Paris has about 26 km of sewers, and reservoirs are used to flush away the wastes blocked in the sewers.[19] France
1833 The water closet is first patented in the United States.[22] United States
1840s Indoor plumbing is introduced, mixing human waste with water and flushing it away, eliminating the need for cesspools.[1]
1842 Publication British social reformer Edwin Chadwick publishes his Report on an inquiry into the sanitary condition of the labouring population of Great Britain, in which he early notes scientifically that lack of sanitation leads to disease.[23] United Kingdom
1850 "Earth closets are popular. When you pull a lever granulated clay from a box covers the contents of the pan."
1852 The first modern public lavatory, with flushing toilets, opens in London.[6] United Kingdom
1854 English physician Dr John Snow shows that cholera is spread by water.[5] United Kingdom
1855–1860 The first sewer systems in the United States are built in Chicago and Brooklyn.[1] United States
1857 Toilet paper comes on sale in the United States, at first being sold in sheets.[24][6] United States
1860 "1860: The first septic tank was invented by Louis Moureas and used by communities to remove solids from waste before the liquid was discharged into a body of water. This design was improved by use of trickling sand filtration from 1893."[5]
1868 Sewage farms are operated in Paris.[5] France
1868 Sewage farms are operated in Berlin.[5] Germany
1868 Sewage farms are operated in different parts of the United States.[5] United States
1870s–1920s Victorian England implements the first–ever comprehensive urban system as a reaction to a series of cholera pandemics during this epoch.[25] United Kingdom
1879 William Soper uses chlorinated lime to treat the sewage produced by typhoid patients.[1]
1883 The vacant/engaged bolt for public toilets is patented.[6]
1884 The first pedestal toilet bowl is made.[6]
1890 The first sewage treatment plant in the United States using chemical precipitation is built in Worcester, Massachusetts.[26]:2[27] United States
1890 Toilet paper is first sold in rolls in the United States.[6] United States
1890 The first sewage treatment plant in the United States using chemical precipitation is built in Worcester, Massachusetts.[1] United States
1892 English stage magician John Nevil Maskelyne invents the coin operated lock for toilets.[6] United Kingdom
1894 German chemist Moritz Traube formally proposes the addition of chloride of lime (calcium hypochlorite) to water to render it "germ–free".[1]
1897 A large sewage farm is established in Melbourne.[5] Australia
1900 "In Chicago the Main Channel of the Sanitary and Sh , ip Canal opens, reversing the flow of the Chicago River. The 28-mile, 24-foot-deep, 160-foot-wide drainage canal, built between Chicago and the town of Lockport, Illinois, is designed to bring in water from Lake Michigan to dilute sewage dumped into the river from houses, farms, stockyards, and other industries. Directed by Rudolph Hering, chief engineer of the Commission on Drainage and Water Supply, the project is the largest municipal earth-moving project of the time."[28]
1905 Serious typhid fever epidemic breaks out in Lincoln , England. Dr. Alexander Cruikshank Houston uses chlorination of the water to stem the epidemic. This marks the beginning of permanent water chlorination.[1] United Kingdom
1906 German engineer Karl Imhoff develops the concept of what later would be named Imhoff tank.[29]
1912 Scientists at the University of Manchester discover the sewage treatment process of activated sludge.[1] United Kingdom
1913 "In Birmingham, England, chemists experiment with the biosolids in sewage sludge by bubbling air through wastewater and then letting the mixture settle; once solids had settled out, the water was purified. Three years later, in 1916, this activated sludge process is put into operation in Worcester, England, and in 1923 construction begins on the world’s first large-scale activated sludge plant, at Jones Island, on the shore of Lake Michigan."[28]
1914 "Boston engineers Leonard Metcalf and Harrison P. Eddy publish American Sewerage Practice, Volume I: Design of Sewers, which declares that working for "the best interests of the public health" is the key professional obligation of sanitary engineers. The book becomes a standard reference in the field for decades."[28]
1928 Toilet paper is first sold in rolls in Europe.[6] Europe
1942 Soft toilet paper comes on sale.[6]
1951 Water fluoridation becomes an official policy of the United States Public Health Service. By 1960, water fluoridation would become widely used in the country, reaching about 50 million people.[1] United States
1953 Water fluoridation is introduced in Brazil. By 2004 71% of the population would have access to it.[1] Brazil
1955 " Ductile cast-iron pipe becomes the industry standard. Ductile cast-iron pipe, developed in 1948, is used in water distribution systems. It becomes the industry standard for metal due to its superior strength, durability, and reliability over cast iron. The pipe is used to transport potable water, sewage, and fuel, and is also used in fire-fighting systems."[28]
1981–1990 The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade is launched by the United Nations to bring attention and support for clean water and sanitation worldwide.

[30][31] ||

1990 The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) starts producing regular estimates of national, regional and global progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).[32]
1990–2015 Statistics The proportion of the population practising open defecation in Ethiopia decreases from 92% in 1990 to 29% in 2015.[33] Ethiopia
2000 1229 million people worldwide practice open defecation.[32]
2001 (19 November) The World Toilet Day is established by the World Toilet Organization.
2007 Readers of the British Medical Journal vote sanitation as the most important medical milestone since 1840.[23] United Kingdom
2008 The Prime Minister of India, quoting Mahatma Gandhi, says declares that “sanitation is more important than independence”.[23] India
2010 A mobile robotic toilet is released. Meant for physically disabled people, the device approaches the person upon request. Once used, the toilet automatically rolls back to the station to clean itself. It includes a bidet and hair dryer function.[34][35]
2010 (28 July) The Human Right to Water and Sanitation is recognized as a human right by the United Nations General Assembly.[36]
2011 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation starts the “reinvent the toilet challenge” campaign.[37]
2015 The Sustainable Development Goals are formulated, including targets on access to water supply and sanitation at a global level.[1] 892 million people practice open defecation (down from 1229 million in 2000).[32]
2015 Statistics About 32−36% of the global population is estimated to lack household-level access to safe water or hygienic toilets.[37]

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Burke, Joseph. FLUORIDATED WATER CONTROVERSY. Retrieved 4 August 2017. 
  2. ↑ Findley, Michael J. The Conflict of the Ages Student Edition V: The Ancient World. Retrieved 21 August 2017. 
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 De Feo, Giovanni; Antoniou, George; Fardin, Hilal Franz; El-Gohary, Fatma; Zheng, Xiao Yun; Reklaityte, Ieva; Butler, David; Yannopoulos, Stavros; Angelakis, Andreas N. "The Historical Development of Sewers Worldwide". doi:10.3390/su6063936. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "History of Plumbing Systems". homeadvisor.com. Retrieved 6 August 2017. 
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 "SNAPSHOTS OF PUBLIC SANITATION". hygieneforhealth.org.au. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 "A BRIEF HISTORY OF TOILETS". localhistories.org. Retrieved 4 August 2017. 
  7. ↑ Poop Culture: How America is Shaped by its Grossest National Product, Dave Praeger
  8. ↑ "Waterborne diseases". lenntech.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017. 
  9. ↑ "Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all". un.org. Retrieved 8 August 2017. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Chandrappa, Ramesha; Bhusan Das, Diganta. Solid Waste Management: Principles and Practice. Retrieved 12 August 2017. 
  11. ↑ Birnbaum, David. Jews, Church & Civilization, Volume I. Retrieved 21 August 2017. 
  12. ↑ Khan, Saifullah. "1 Chapter 2 Sanitation and wastewater technologies in Harappa/Indus valley civilization ( ca . 2600-1900 BC)". Academia.edu. Academia.edu. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 
  13. ↑ "Maya plumbing: First pressurized water feature found in New World". Penn State. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 
  14. ↑ "Ancient Indian Toilets". google.com. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "A TIMELINE OF TOILETS IN HISTORY". localhistories.org. Retrieved 4 August 2017. 
  16. ↑ Angelakis, Andreas N.; Mays, Larry W.; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris; Mamassis, Nikos. Evolution of Water Supply Through the Millennia. Retrieved 4 August 2017. 
  17. ↑ "Find flushes away British toilet assertion". theglobeandmail.com. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  18. ↑ "China claims invention of toilet". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 "Public baths and latrines from ancient and modern times". sewerhistory.org. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  20. ↑ "The Use of the Microscope in Water Filter History". Retrieved 4 August 2017. 
  21. ↑ Wootton, David (2006). Bad medicine: doctors doing harm since Hippocrates. Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press. p. 110. ISBN 0-19-280355-7. 
  22. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Mara, Duncan; Lane, Jon; Scott, Beth; Trouba, David. "Sanitation and Health". PLoS Med. PMC 2981586Freely accessible. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000363. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  23. ↑ Panati, Charles. Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things. Retrieved 4 August 2017. 
  24. ↑ "Water History for our times" (PDF). unesco.org. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 
  25. ↑ Metcalf, Leonard; Eddy, Harrison P. (1914). American Sewerage Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved 3 August 2017.  Vol. I: Design of Sewers.
  26. ↑ Burian, Steven J.; Nix, Stephan J.; Pitt, Robert E.; Durrans, S. Rocky (2000). "Urban Wastewater Management in the United States: Past, Present, and Future" (PDF). Journal of Urban Technology. London: Routledge. 7 (3). doi:10.1080/713684134. 
  27. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 "Water Supply and Distribution Timeline". greatachievements.org. Retrieved 8 August 2017. 
  28. ↑ Karl Imhoff: Berufserinnerungen eines Wasseringenieurs. In: Karl und Klaus R. Imhoff: Taschenbuch der Stadtentwässerung. Oldenbourg, München 2007, ISBN 978-3-8356-3094-9, S. 5. (online auf: books.google.de)
  29. ↑ "International Decade for Clean Drinking Water, 1981-1990". gdrc.org. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  30. ↑ "WATER AND SANITATION IN UNICEF 1946-1986" (PDF). unicef.org. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  31. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 "Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2017" (PDF). who.int. Retrieved 8 August 2017. 
  32. ↑ Purvis, Katherine. "Access to clean water and sanitation around the world – mapped". theguardian.com. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
  33. ↑ "Robotic toilet maintains personal hygiene as the sick attends nature's call". designbuzz.com. Retrieved 23 August 2017. 
  34. ↑ "Automatic Nature Call: Mobile Robotic Toilet". walyou.com. Retrieved 23 August 2017. 
  35. ↑ "Resolution 64/292: The human right to water and sanitation". United Nations. August 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2017. 
  36. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Starkl, Markus; Brunner, Norbert; Feil, Magdalena; Hauser, Andreas. "Ensuring Sustainability of Non-Networked Sanitation Technologies: An Approach to Standardization". acs.org. Retrieved 22 August 2017. 
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