Water Sustainability Measures
Water Conservation
The majority of water loss or waste on campus is due to leaking, broken or inoperative plumbing fixtures. The first step in reducing waste and water consumption is to replace leaking or inoperative faucets and flush-o-meters with devices that shut off automatically. In addition to reducing waste and water consumption, replacement with automatic devices not only replaces leaking/broken/wasteful faucets, but faucets that are manual and can be left running.
By late 2013, all restroom faucets in all campus buildings have been replaced with motion-activated, automatic faucets. In addition, automatic flush-o-meters have been installed in all restroom toilets. Planned future water conservation measures include replacement of existing water closets (toilets) with low flow fixtures.
Combination water fountain and water bottle refilling stations, which dispense chilled water into water bottles, have been installed in Apex and the Old Gym, reducing the need to constantly replace disposable water bottles (with their attendant costs).
Another conservation method being implemented is to decrease water use and waste by capturing rainwater from the roof and surrounding grounds of Science Hall, as well as gray water from the sinks, storing the water in tanks, treating the water and re-using it to flush toilets Science Hall, as illustrated below.
