Safe, Clean Water Depends on Reducing the Plumber Shortage

Access to safe, clean water depends on plumbers, and there’s a shortage right now of more than 500,000 plumbers in the United States. That shortage is costing the economy more than $38 billion annually and increasing expenses for builders, reports a study commissioned by Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) member LIXIL. Filling this gap will require rekindled vocational education programs, expanded apprenticeships, and more collaboration among the plumbing industry, policymakers and educators.

The study, “Blocked Pipes: The Economic Consequence of Skilled Worker Shortages,” by John Dunham & Associates, quantifies how the plumber shortage is driving up costs and straining industries across the economy. The PMI Board of Directors has committed to investing in another study that will complement LIXIL’s report, aiming to guide PMI’s workforce development and advocacy strategies. PMI will again work with John Dunham & Associates to update the association’s 2023 Plumbing Manufacturing Industry Economic Impact Study. The new study will add 2025 plumber and plumbing contractor economic impact data broken down by nation, state, congressional district, and state house and senate districts.

New, water-saving technologies will require plumbers with a broader skill set

“We face an urgent challenge and an exciting opportunity: closing today’s skills gap while preparing the plumber of the future,” said Troy Benavidez, PMI Board of Directors member and LIXIL’s leader of international government relations, policy and strategic partnerships. “As manufacturers bring innovative products and solutions to market, plumbers will need a broader skill set. Through training initiatives like our TradeUp program, we can highlight the importance of plumbing to young people and help current professionals expand their expertise.”

Federal and state lawmakers commit to supporting skilled trades including plumbing

Some states have boosted efforts to support the plumbing and other skilled trades with programs and funding. The federal government has committed to expanding registered apprenticeships and investing in workforce development.

PMI discussed the importance of strengthening the plumbing trade with policymakers. Matthew Windrum, PMI director of state government affairs, policy and advocacy, met with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s team at a recent National Governors Association meeting.

Stitt and Moore have introduced “Reigniting the American Dream” as the 2025-26 NGA chair’s initiative, which invites every governor to invest in infrastructure that supports growth and connects people to in-demand careers. To jumpstart this work, Stitt committed an initial $19 million in Oklahoma to expand local programs, align public and private resources around measurable workforce outcomes, and help Tulsans access jobs in manufacturing, air mobility, and healthcare.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s administration recently awarded $13.4 million in Career Technical Initiative and planning grants to 21 organizations. Partnering with more than 180 employers across the state, the initiative will train 1,641 people for careers in the trades, construction and manufacturing, stated a Mass.gov news release.

In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.” The order states that federal funding will be invested in workforce development so American workers will be ready to fill the growing demand for skilled trades. The order directs the Departments of Labor, Education and Commerce to “reach and surpass 1 million new active apprentices.” The Department of Labor announced in June that it would award almost $84 million in grants to 50 states and territories to expand apprenticeships.

However, critics are saying the president’s current 2026 budget proposal doesn’t indicate any significant new investments in apprenticeships and reduces overall spending for workforce development. The budget proposes consolidating 11 workforce programs into one funding stream for states called “Make America Skilled Again” with $2.9 billion for MASA—a 24% cut to current funding levels, reported a Jobs for the Future article.

Interest grows in trade jobs

Interest in plumbing and other trades is rising—as many students have become discouraged by the high cost of a four-year degree and the uncertainty of finding a job in their field of study.

A recent survey conducted by ResumeBuilder.com found that 42% of Generation Z adults are working in or pursuing skilled trade jobs to avoid student loan debt that sometimes results from getting a four-year college degree.

However, vocational schools are turning students away in some cases. All vocational schools in Pennsylvania are at capacity and can’t accept new students, said Benavidez, who has been working with the state’s vocational school administrator. “Let’s work on ways to make it easier for people to become plumbers. Maybe that means getting every vocational school in the country to have a plumbing program,” he added.