1. Water Audits and Best Practices Nate Keener, Director of Sustainability, Lewis and Clark Community College

2. Water Audits Feb-March 2015 “Ripple Effect” Funded by ISTC Billion Gallon Challenge 3 Water Audit Trainings ◦Feb 26-27 – Lewis & Clark Comm Coll, Godfrey ◦March 3-4 – Harper College, Palatine ◦March 5-6 – UIC, Chicago 30 trainees

3. Feedback/Requests for Assistance Great info, but some of it was over my head, and there was TONS of it! How do I get started? ◦Step 1. Line Up Support and Resources ◦Step 2. Take Immediate Action, Do the Obvious 1 st ◦Step 3. Conduct Water Survey ◦Step 4. Identify Water Saving Opportunities ◦Step 5. Prepare an Action Plan ◦Step 6. Implement Measures ◦Step 7. Document Findings ◦Step 8. Complete Site Verification & Publicize Success

4. Lining up support & resources Management support Facilities personnel Staff support and involvement Students/Interns Kitchen staff Landscape crew representative Media/Outreach Lab faculty Third party support?

5. Why? Water Conservation or $$? Water Quality? ◦Focus on quality of water leaving campus ◦Holding water on site Drinking Water? ◦Focus on conservation of domestic use ◦Saves $$ on both ends Maintaining habitat and resources? ◦Might focus on restoration efforts

6. The Dollar Side US EPA estimates $~400B to maintain drinking water infrastructure American Society of Civil Engineers estimates $32.5B in wastewater and drinking water infrastructure maintenance costs National average combined water/wastewater rate per thousand gallons = ~$12 US Rates are still very low compared to the rest of the world – can’t be long Chicago Combined Water/Sewer = $3.81/kGal

7. Cents per gallon of water by use

8. Setting Goals Level 1 Preliminary evaluation Level 2 Opportunity Determination Level 3 Detailed Site Analysis Focus of Audit Building Use and Square Footage Demographics Rough Estimate of Savings Water Consumption by end use More rigorous estimates of savings potential No/low cost and capital measures Detailed analysis of water use by subsystem Investment- grade estimates of savings potential Identification of capital measures

9. Setting Goals (cont) Level 1 Preliminary evaluation Level 2 Opportunity Determination Level 3 Detailed Site Analysis Inputs Utility Bills Site Drawings Aerial Imaging Phone interviews Level 1 items Identification of water using equipment Measurement of flow rates Level 2 items Measurement of all non- domestic equipment As built listing of all water using equipment

10. Setting Goals (cont) Level 1 Preliminary evaluation Level 2 Opportunity Determination Level 3 Detailed Site Analysis Outputs Checklists Engineering estimates of savings potential Spreadsheet calculations More complex spreadsheet calculations Computer water models Domestic savings potential based on actual flow measurements Evaluation of estimated capital investment and projected savings Detailed listing of all products Detail summary report

11. Water Uses on Campus 23 schools surveyed Common water uses ◦Bathrooms – toilets, urinals (23) ◦Boilers (21) ◦Showers (21) ◦Labs (20) ◦Ice Machines and Dishwashers (19) ◦Landscapes Larger than Three Acres (17) ◦Cooling Towers (15) ◦Food Court/Cafeteria (15) ◦Greenhouses (12) ◦Central Energy Facility (12) ◦Laundry Facilities (12) ◦Swimming Pools (11)

12. How much consumption does that account for? Bathrooms can account for 20-50% of consumption Kitchens can be from 2-8% Showers and pool ~ 10% Irrigation ~ 10% Cooling Towers and HVAC ~20% Difference between 2 and 4 year campuses with housing/research institutions

13. Identify Opportunities - Start with easy, visible wins! Bathroom/Locker Room audits are easy and highly visible ◦Faucet/shower flow rates – use a stopwatch and a bag/bucket ◦Toilet leak detection – use dye ◦Measure toilet tank and the water displaced with a flush ◦On valve type toilets, you can time the flush:  ~Flush volume, gal = (flush time in seconds/2)-1 ◦Look at stamped flush volume, but those can be inaccurate Fixing leaks and eliminated clear waste all over is also key

14. Cost to flush toilet in Chicago at a 5.85% increase per year (national average) Gallons per flushCents per flush in 2015 Cents per flush in 2035 5.03.811.9 3.52.78.3 1.61.23.8 1.280.983.0

15. Typical Plumbing Fixture Uses Per Person Per Day ToiletUrinalFaucet Males1.22.54 Females3.504 50%/50%2.351.254

16. Total Water Daily Use per Person Assumes 50%/50% male/female Fixture Type LowestEnergy Code 1980sBefore 1980s Toilet3.03.88.311.8 Urinal01.31.94.5 Faucet.2.91.4 TOTAL3.25.911.517.5

17. Bathrooms - general recommendations Install WaterSense labeled faucets and aerators Install WaterSense labeled showerheads at 2.0 gpm or less (80 psi) Install WaterSense toilets at 1.28 gpf or more efficient Install WaterSense urinals at 0.5 gpf or more efficient Institute water conservation policies Check for toilet leaks using dye Place signage requesting that leaks and other plumbing problems be promptly reported to the appropriate building management authority

18. 18 Food Service & Hospitality Opportunities Pre-rinse spray valves Commercial dishwashers Air-cooled ice cream machines Air-cooled ice machines Self-contained (connectionless) food steamers

19. Kitchen Recommendations Install high efficiency pre-rinse spray valves for all dishwashing areas Replace water- cooled equipment with air-cooled equipment Soak dirty pots and pans verses cleaning with running water

20. Kitchen Recommendations Operate dishwasher only when fully loaded Signage - “Water Upon Request” Choose flake or nugget type ice machines

21. Kitchen Recommendations Implement a water conservation policy for food servers Check with manufacturer to see if dishwasher spray heads can be replaced with more efficient heads, or if flow regulators can be installed In conveyor type washer, ensure water flow stops when no dishes are in the washer. Install a sensing arm or ware gate to detect the presence of dishes

22. Landscapes Opportunities Landscape design ◦Plant selection (native or ornamental) ◦Amount of hardscape Efficient equipment ◦Irrigation systems ◦Broken heads, nozzles ◦Irrigation controllers Appropriate irrigation scheduling ◦Weather based ◦Run times and adequate pressure ◦How many inches of water did the plant need? How many did I give it?

23. Landscapes Recommendations Implement SITES Plant native shrubs or trees near windows for shade Utilize bioswales and rain gardens Install smart weather based controllers Minimize turfed areas (and/or use permeable pavement) Reuse water on site

24. Landscapes Recommendations If installing new turf, limit area and use drought tolerant species Plant (or renovate using) drought tolerant plants and ground cover, preferably native (or naturally adaptive) species.

25. Landscapes Recommendations Group plants with similar water requirements together (hydrozones) on the same irrigation line Plant and maintain a street tree next to your business. If there is no space for a tree, install a sidewalk garden with drought tolerate plants (guidelines and permits are available with your City & County)

26. Pools - Recommendations Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation and heat loss when pool is not in use Reduce the water used to back flush pool filters, remain on site to watch the back-flush process Check for leaks – Bucket method

27. Resources! Email me at nkeener@lc.edu for a guidebooknkeener@lc.edu Or visit www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/WaterSma rt_Guidebook_for_Businesses.aspx www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/WaterSma rt_Guidebook_for_Businesses.aspx WaterSense Labeled Products found online: www.epa.gov/watersense www.epa.gov/watersense Maximum Appliance Performance (MaP) Testing: www.map-testing.comwww.map-testing.com Appliances and Calculators: http://www.energystar.gov http://www.energystar.gov