Spring Break
Task force makes recommendations for water conservation
Low-flow toilets on list
CLAIRE MILLER
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The University of Georgia's Ad-Hoc Task Force on Water Resources culminated its research on the drought with the release of its Water Resources Report today, offering the administration both short-term and long-term recommendations for conserving water.
Tim Burgess, senior vice president for finance and administration, and Provost Arnett Mace created the task force in October to assess the drought and generate measures "to achieve more effective water conservation on campus," according to the document.
The report was scheduled for release Thursday, but it was postponed a day to finalize the details and submit it to Burgess and Mace, Vice President for Public Affairs Tom Jackson wrote in an e-mail.
In the short term, the task force recommends:
Outfitting all buildings with low-flow toilets and dual-flush valves, costing the university $450,000 but saving between 60,000 and 70,000 gallons a day (about $115,000 annually)
Conducting audits of buildings' water use to keep track of water pressure levels
Posting monthly and yearly water use totals visibly in buildings
Bringing towels for personal use at the Ramsey Center rather than using ones supplied by the staff
Participating in residence hall or fraternity/sorority house competitions to see who can conserve the most water
Bringing water to campus for personal use
Hosting information sessions and forums to continue the public dialogue on the drought
In the long term, the task force recommends:
Continuing the "Every Drop Counts" campaign and increasing public awareness of the drought
Examining water-saving research and implementing measures based on that research where possible
Using re-circulating irrigation systems in greenhouses
Planting more drought-resistant vegetation on campus
Implementing new facilities (and maintaining existing ones) designed to catch and efficiently distribute rainwater
Developing ways to collect and purify residual condensation from air conditioning units
Possibly establishing an Office of Sustainability in charge of overseeing water conservation and energy efficiency on campus
To view the entire Water Resources Report, visit http://www.uga.edu/WaterResourcesReport.pdf
Tim Burgess, senior vice president for finance and administration, and Provost Arnett Mace created the task force in October to assess the drought and generate measures "to achieve more effective water conservation on campus," according to the document.
The report was scheduled for release Thursday, but it was postponed a day to finalize the details and submit it to Burgess and Mace, Vice President for Public Affairs Tom Jackson wrote in an e-mail.
In the short term, the task force recommends:
Outfitting all buildings with low-flow toilets and dual-flush valves, costing the university $450,000 but saving between 60,000 and 70,000 gallons a day (about $115,000 annually)
Conducting audits of buildings' water use to keep track of water pressure levels
Posting monthly and yearly water use totals visibly in buildings
Bringing towels for personal use at the Ramsey Center rather than using ones supplied by the staff
Participating in residence hall or fraternity/sorority house competitions to see who can conserve the most water
Bringing water to campus for personal use
Hosting information sessions and forums to continue the public dialogue on the drought
In the long term, the task force recommends:
Continuing the "Every Drop Counts" campaign and increasing public awareness of the drought
Examining water-saving research and implementing measures based on that research where possible
Using re-circulating irrigation systems in greenhouses
Planting more drought-resistant vegetation on campus
Implementing new facilities (and maintaining existing ones) designed to catch and efficiently distribute rainwater
Developing ways to collect and purify residual condensation from air conditioning units
Possibly establishing an Office of Sustainability in charge of overseeing water conservation and energy efficiency on campus
To view the entire Water Resources Report, visit http://www.uga.edu/WaterResourcesReport.pdf
Be the first to comment on this story