Lyle,
We still use Copper water pipes, over here,
like you said, we have to Bond and Earth all metallic pipework, makes sense though.
I once saw a Plumber cut a copper pipe and recieved a shock between the two cut pieces, must have been a small fault in the wiring in the house, where we were working.
He should have had a wire between both sides of his cut, but it gave him (and me) one H**l
of a fright
