Trump’s push for 1 million new apprentices is off to a rocky start, critics say
In April 2025, President Trump directed three cabinet secretaries to deliver — within 120 days — a plan “to reach and surpass 1 million new active apprentices”
Plumbing
March’s most popular stories
A price-fixing lawsuit, rebates on the chopping block, industry chatter, and more
Labor Department moves to streamline new apprenticeship programs
The efforts stem from an April 2025 executive order signed by President Trump aimed at reaching and surpassing one million new active apprentices in the U.S., including in the skilled trades
Plumbing wholesale prices stay put in February
U.S. wholesale prices of both plumbing fixtures and residential gas water heaters in February were unchanged compared to the month prior
Federal courts uphold gas bans in Maryland, D.C.
The decisions, issued one day apart, rejected the same legal argument made by trade associations that the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), a federal appliance law, preempts local gas bans
American Residential Services exploring sale, report says
The process, which is being run by investment bank Rothschild & Co, is at an “early stage,” according to Reuters
A.O. Smith sued over plastic drain valves
The suit alleges that the company uses plastic, glass–filled nylon drain valves on its residential water heaters, promoting them as cost-effective alternatives to brass valves
Union plumbing shop scores win with move to commission pay
Union shops are "having a hard time competing with the marketing spend of PE-backed firms and the margins of sole proprietors," says CEO Tom Teynor
Residential water heater shipments slip in January
Shipments of gas water heaters declined by 11.6 percent year-over-year during the month, while electric water heater shipments slid 4.6 percent
Data centers pose challenges for U.S. water systems: Study
To meet demand, the U.S. needs $10 billion in new water capacity — or up to $58 billion in a high-growth scenario