When you want to bathe or to quench your thirst, you simply turn on a faucet and out comes water. The faucet, commonly known as the water tap, is a very simple and yet sophisticated device which dates as far back as 1700 B.C. According to plumbing company Plumbing Help Today, when it was first invented, the faucet was used to control the water flowing to fountains in private homes and in public baths in ancient Rome.

The idea of having fountains and baths was inspired by ancient Egyptians and Greeks who made valves to divert water from rivers and other water sources for drinking and irrigation. This is according to media and knowledge site Yahoo.

According to the web-based Encyclopedia, in ancient Rome there were public baths with silver water taps. 

Originally, the water tap had two handles; one for cold water and the other one for hot water. If someone wanted a warm bath they’d have to turn on both handles. This was the norm until 1937 when Alfred Moen, an American inventor and mechanical engineer, nearly burnt his hands trying to wash up. This is according to American media house Los Angeles Times.

According to Wikipedia, an encyclopedia, the experience inspired Moen to invent a water tap with a single handle which would make it easier to control the water temperature. His initial design had double valves but it was rejected because it wasn’t working well. Over the next couple of years, he worked to make improvements but he couldn’t find a manufacturer that was willing to do it for free until the end of World War II.

When the war ended, the production of Moen’s single handle faucet started and was immediately on demand in many homes. Using Moen’s design as a reference, other inventors improved the way that the water tap works. For instance, American inventor Landis Perry designed a ball valve to control the pressure of the water coming out of a tap.  Other inventors created filters to reduce contamination. This is according to Encyclopedia.

Modern taps vary in shape, size and the way they function. Others are designed for luxury. A recent improvement in public taps is automation and electrification. For instance, in some public toilets, users don’t have to touch the taps as they turn on by themselves. This is very hygienic as people don’t have to potentially contract germs from previous users.