"America has always been a land of pioneers, and the men who gathered in Washington were the most fearless pioneers of all, for they opened up minds of men and gave America a new concept of plumbing, and the part that the plumber and plumbing inspector must play in order to prevent injury to the health of people. The American Society of Inspectors of Plumbing and Sanitary Engineers, was organized on a foundation of service, with definite aims, objects and purposes. The founders were men of experience and observation. Because of their foresight, people today live more efficiently, more economically, more comfortably and with better health protection than at any other time in history. We learned from ourselves and the mistakes of others."
– William C. Groeniger, ASSE President, 1916-1923, 1936
ASSE’s founding members pushed for the standardization of plumbing practices more than 113 years ago, but the ASSE International Standards Program, as we know it today, began in 1959 with the formation of the Technical Standards and Testing Procedures Committee, which resulted in ASSE’s first product performance standard in 1964 – ASSE 1001, Performance Requirements for Pipe Applied Vacuum Breakers.
ASSE’s Product Listing (Seal) Program followed shortly thereafter, with its first listing granted in April of 1965.
In 1987, the ASSE Board of Directors recognized a need for "professional qualifications standards" and voted to develop the ASSE Series 5000, Cross-Connection Control Professional Qualifications Standard.
In 1991, ASSE introduced the first guidelines for cross-connection control certification.
The aims and purposes proclaimed more than 113 years ago by ASSE International’s founding members continue to guide the organization’s activities today.
