the history of asse

The Formation of a Society

William C. Groeniger of Columbus, Ohio said, “Sanitary plumbing is of more real value than medicine. Plumbing provides means for keeping the body, wearing apparel, the house, our streets and alleys clean. Cleanliness means healthfulness. A plumbing system stands for cleanliness, which also means that the plumbing system prevents where medicine cures, and prevention is more desirable than the cure. To protect the public from insanitary plumbing and the influence of harmful surroundings caused by reckless competition, the use of cheap and defective material and improper installation, sanitary regulations are provided, regulating the location, construction, installation and inspection of plumbing.”

The American Society of Sanitary Engineering for Plumbing and Sanitary Research owes its beginning to Mr. Henry B. Davis, Chief Plumbing Inspector for the District of Columbia. Mr. Davis believed it was vital that plumbing practices in the United States be standardized to protect the nation’s health and welfare.

Since 1906

In response to his invitation, on January 29, 1906, Henry B. Davis met at the New Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. with twenty-nine men from across the United States, twenty-five being plumbing inspectors. He told them “You are here for the purpose of forming an association of inspectors of plumbing and sanitary engineers, to be the source from which rules and regulations could be developed for the advancement of sanitary science, in the interest of public health.”

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asse mission statement

The American Society of Sanitary Engineering is a nonprofit organization that is comprised of individual and sustaining members who represent all disciplines of the Plumbing Industry.

It's mission is to, in the spirit of its motto "Prevention Rather Than Cure," continually improve the performance, reliability and safety of plumbing systems by:

Developing and maintaining consensus product performance and professional qualification standards whose sole purpose is to protect the health of the public.

Developing and maintaining active product seal control, and professional qualification credentialing, programs.

Providing interactive platforms on the local, state, national and international levels to receive, understand, solve and provide guidance regarding legislative, engineering, installation/workmanship and manufacturing challenges as they are related to enhancing the health and safety aspect of plumbing.

Promoting public awareness about the importance of safe and correct plumbing installations.