The history of plumbing reveals the use of clay, cast-iron, and copper as pipe materials. The order of usage was not exactly that, and many other materials were used as well. Many of the early civilizations, including the Romans, had some pretty fancy systems for bringing water into their cities and their homes. But plumbing was not really needed for carrying water away, they seem to have thought. An open trench leading down to the river served well enough for sewage and waste water.
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As cities became larger, it became obvious that the open sewers were a problem. The open sewer system was a source of disease as well as discomfort. But those open sewers along the streets did give us the custom of men walking on the street side, when walking with a lady, to avoid the lady having her fine garments fouled with the contents of the gutter.
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In the USA in the early days we had little or no plumbing at all. Washington, D.C. installed a sewer system of concrete pipes, lined with clay tiles or bricks, in 1885. Since then we’ve improved, and now have a fine selection of modern materials, though we also do still use clay, cast-iron, and copper. Your local plumbing expert can help you choose, when you prepare for your next plumbing project, whether one of those historical pipe types or a new synthetic is best for you.