Plumbing also refers to a system of pipes and fixtures put in a building to move water and the get rid of waste that is in water . Plumbing ( from the Latin plumbum for lead , as pipes were once made from lead ) is the skilled trade of working with pipes , tubing and plumbing fixtures for drinking water systems and the drainage of waste . A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems , plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters .