The Campus Environmental Audit: Water, Wastewater and Storm Runoff

Water Management at the University of Pennsylvania

Introduction

Agricultural, industrial, recreational, and human and animal life forms are dependent on the use of fresh water. Based on our daily water consumption, one might think that the amount of water available to us is infinite. Yet only about 3% of the earth's water is freshwater and over 66% of our fresh waters is in the form of glaciers.(1) In order to maintain a plentiful water supply, we must take measures to reduce our water usage. Conserving not only saves water, but it also saves energy and chemicals which are needed for treatment and purification.

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Water Management at the University of Pennsylvania

Water usage is managed by the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Physical Plant. The three primary objectives of the department's water management are:

to provide an infrastructure that will supply an ample amount of water to meet campus demand.

to utilize systems that efficiently supply water to campus facilities.

to remove all wastewaters from campus

The department has two primary managers, one who focuses on water usage within campus facilities and the other that is responsible for campus grounds. The Philadelphia Water Department manages the water and wastewater treatment processes and the delivery and removal of water to campus.

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Relevant Environmental Concepts

The polluting of our waterways affects many sources of water including oceans, surface waters and deep-lying aquifers that hold ground water. The pollution, caused by point and non point sources, produces health risks to humans, plants and animals. Contaminants can however, be reduced, treated and removed through water treatment and wastewater treatment processes.

Point source pollutants are derived from a wide variety of direct discharges. Under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has authority to set water quality standards and industry by industry effluent standards for all contaminants. The law makes point source discharges into navigable waters illegal unless a permit is obtained through the EPA or a state agency with delegated authority.(2)

Non point source pollution describes indirect pollutants that move through the air, across the land, through the soil and into surface and ground waters. Four major sources of non point sources are air pollution that leads to acid rain, agricultural activities in the form of sediment, pesticides and other nutrient pollutants, and construction activities that affect land development, waste disposal, and resource extraction. In urban areas, like Philadelphia, non point pollution is also caused by pollutants like oil and chemicals that enter the water systems during rain storms. Non point pollutants cloud the water, reduce oxygen supply, and disrupt stream habitat. It is estimated that non point sources have caused 65% of stream pollution, 76% of lake pollution and 45% of estuary pollution.(3)

In order for humans to use and consume water, water needs to be tested in water treatment facilities. The principal reasons for treatment are to reduce particulate matter, lower health risks with associated microbiological contaminants and improve color and taste characteristics.(4) Typical water treatment processes include disinfection, filtration, flocculation, and sedimentation.

Disinfection protects against infectious disease by reducing the number of pathogens in the water. However, disinfection can also introduces a small potential health risk due to the addition of chlorine.(5) Filtration, flocculation, and sedimentation remove harmful water contaminants such as suspended sediments, microorganisms, and inorganic. The chemicals used in these processes are typically of low toxicity and used at low concentrations. Inorganics added in water treatnent do not appear to pose a threat to public health either.(6)

Treated water is then used for a wide variety residential of uses that can be seen by figure 13. Water is also used in many commercial and industrial applications, and from the literature it is difficult to estimate the amount of water used in each application.

Source: Philadelphia Water Department, ÒBelmont Water Treatment Plant,Ó No Date of Publication, p. 2.

Finally, water is treated by wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treatment aims to remove effluent to EPA standards that meet biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, fecal coliform and pH requirements. Nutrients, like phosphorous and nitrogen, can also be removed in order prevent eutrophrication.(7)

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The Audit

Water Usage

1. Where does UPenn's water supply originate?

2. Where is campus water treated?

3. What kind of treatment does it receive?

4. How much water did the university consume last year?

5. What was water consumption per square foot / per capita?

6. How has this figure changed over the past five years?

7. What percentage of water is used indoors as compared to outdoors?

8. How does Penn manage its outdoor water usage?

9. What were the water utility costs for the university for the past year?

10. How have these costs changed over the past five years and why?

11. Does the campus have a water conservation program?

12. If so, what measures does it include?

13. Are there any estimates of water savings from such programs?

14. If so, how much?

Wastewater and Storm Runoff

1. How much wastewater (sewage) does your campus generate annually?

2. Where is campus wastewater treated?

3. Where is this treated wastewater discharged?

4. What percentage of the community's wastewater treatment facility is used to

process campus-generated wastewater? 5. What kind of treatment does it receive?

6. What costs, if any, are associated with treating campus wastewater?

7. Has UPenn initiated any programs to reduce wastewater volume and/or toxicity? If so please describe.

8. Does UPenn use any reclaimed water in its facilities or on landscaping? If so, how much?

9. What is the source of this water?

10. Is campus storm water runoff treated, or does it flow directly to a body of water?

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The Results

Water Usage

Penn consumes water from the Schulkykill river. This water is treated at the Belmont Water Treatment Plant in Northwest Philadelphia. The plant uses an eight step process to distribute water including: natural sedimentation, pre-chlorination, chemical treatment, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, postchemical treatment and distribution. Alum, lime, chorine, zinc phosphate, ammonia, and fluoride are used in the water treatment processes.

The University consumed approximately 1 billion ft3 of water in 1995. The water which is used for a wide variety of uses including residential, research, and landscaping, annually costs $2 per 1000 ft3 or 2 million dollars. The University is billed separately for each building. Usage per square foot and per capita is respectively and 21,512 ft3 water per capita. Overall the usage has stayed constant due to the fact that the campus population of 25,977 student and faculty has not changed dramatically over the past five years.(8) Water usage is expected to rise on campus when the new research facilities, including the Roy Valegelos Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, come on line.

Overall water usage in outdoor facilities has never been monitored. Penn uses an automated sprinkler system to water the most visible grounds of campus. The system is managed by timers which are preprogrammed. Occasionally the system is activated if the Grounds Manger, Bill Gross, determines that the soil needs excess water or is deactivated when it recently rained. Sometimes it is however difficult to react in time to deactivate the system if a rainstorm has occurred. Mr. Gross estimates outside usage to be approximately 8 million gallons per year.

Penn has no comprehensive policy or approach to water conservation. When Physical Plant renovates and constructs new buildings they install low flow showerheads and low flow faucets. Automatic faucets are installed in high occupancy restrooms. Penn has also taken efforts to recirculate water. The new mod-6 chiller system reuses approximately 1.5 million gallons of water.

Wastewater and Storm Runoff

The amount of wastewater generated by Penn is assumed to equal the amount of water consumed minus the amount water reused or 9,997,994,500 . The campus wastewater is treated at the Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant. The Univeristy's wastewater product represents .315% of the plant's 178 million gallons of average daily treatment.

The plant uses a three step treatment process including preliminary, primary and secondary treatment. Preliminary treatment remove debris by virtue of bar screens and grit chambers. Second, primary treatment removes 45 - 50% of suspended solids by flocculation and primary sedimentation. Finally, secondary treatment uses biological processes to remove contaminants in an aeration and final sedimentation tank. Before discharged into the Delaware River, disinfection is used to remove pathogens from the water. Penn has no added costs for treating campus wastewaters. The charge for sewer is incorporated into the price of water usage. The University has no programs to reduce wastewater volume. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety monitors laboratories that might discharge hazardous chemicals into the water discharge. On campus there are two primary sources of storm water runoff. The athletic fields are treated with a ÒminimalÓ amount of a sulfur coated urea pesticide. The pesticide naturally bonds to the soil however to minimize effects of runoff. In addition, salt is used to remove ice from campus during winter storms. The University is aggressively uses salt to prevent potential lawsuits. The University Grounds Manager believes that Penn may use too much salt on occasions. It is unknown how much salt usage has changed over the years.

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Water Management at Other Universities

California State University - Northridge

Cal State Northridge has had an active water conservation program since 1986. The University has taken steps which has resulted in a 24% reduction in water usage. The water conserve measures already instituted include retrofitting all showers, flush vales and faucets with water saving devices, reducing and changing irrigation systems, placing water conservation stickers in all restrooms and kitchenettes, eliminating washing of university vehicles, and distributing educational materials. The University is now exploring using reclaimed water for landscaping efforts and replacing of obsolete and malfunctioning irrigation systems .(9)

Brown University

Brown University began water conservation efforts in 1991 by retrofitting all dormitory shower heads with low flow utilities. The program saves 5.6 million gallons of water per year and a student survey has shown consumer satisfaction is high. In the spring of 1993, the University retrofited all athletic facility buildings with water conserving show and faucet heads. The university is in the process of install 1.5 gpm toilets and flush valves in the dormitories. In addition, Brown has undertaken efforts to improve process cooling systems for laboratory equipemtn that signifigantly reduce water consumption. Finally, a campus water audit has been undertaken that revealed by continuing the types of conservation measures, Brown could save approximately 120 million gallons of water annually after all measures are completed. This would result in a savings of approximately $300,000 per year. (10)

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Recommendations and Conclusions

Structural

Physical Plant has a good infrastructure to approach water usage and conservation.

Greening

Penn has no formal program or approach to water conservation. Designing such a program will focus on the two categories of water use efficiency: 1. Engineering Practices: practices based on changes in plumbing, fixtures or water supply operating procedures

2. Behavorial Practices: practices based on changing people's water habits

Elements of such programs would include: Engineering Practices

Plumbing: Installing indoor pluming fixtures that save water through flow reductions.

Low Flush Toilets: Conventional toilets use 3.5 to 5 gallons of water per flush while low flush toilets use only 1.6 gallons of water. Low flush toilets also reduce the volume and costs associated with wastewater production.

Toilet Displacement Devices Plastic containers or toilet dams reduce the amount of water used per flush by displacing the water in the toilet tank.

Low-Flow Showerheads By replaceing a standard 4.5 fallons per minute showerhead with low flow shower heads, a family of four can save approximately 20,000 gallons per year.

Faucet Aerators Aerators are inexpernsive devices that break flowing water into fine froplets and use air to supplement the decrease in water flow. Aerators can reduce water usage at a faucet by as much as 60% while still maintaining a good flow.

Pressure Reduction Maximum flow from water fixtures can be reduced by reducing the water pressure. For example, a reduction from 100 pounds per square inch to 50 psi can reduce flow by one-third. Pressure reduction canb also save water by reducing the likelihood of leaking water pipes, leaking water heaters and dripping faucets.

Gray Water Use Domestic wastewater from souces sich as kitchen sinks and laundry equipment is called gray water. This water can be reused for uses like gardening, lawn maintenance, and landscaping.

ÊLandscaping Landscaping with plants that need little water saves fertilizers and labor in addition to saving water. In addition, plants can be grouped based on similar water needs allowing for efficient applications of water for landscaping purposes. Using indigenous plants can save more than 50% of the water normally needed to care for exogenous plants.

Submetering Submetering allows the University to understand trends in water usage and makes water users aware of how much water they use and its cost. Submetering is reported to reduce water usage by 20 to 40 percent in aparment complexes and condiminiums.

Water Reuse Water reuse by recirculating process cooling water and reusing gray waters can reduce the demand for water. Two factors that should be considered in a gray water reuse program include:

The determination of the minimum water quality standards for the given use.

The identification of grey waters that meet the water quality requirements.(11)

Behavioral Practices

Dormitory/Dining Services: Behavioral practices in forms can be applied in the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom. In the kitchen & dining services, water can be saved by running the dishwasher only when it is full. Water can be saved in the bathroom by turning the faucets off while brushing and shaving and by taking shorter showers. Water can be saved in the laudry room only running laundry machines when they are full.

ÊOutdoor Water Usage: Outdoor water usage can be reduced by watering the grounds early in the morning or late in the evening. Application should also occur on cooler days if possible to reduce evaporation. In addition, allowing the grass to grow slightly will reduce water loss by providing more shade for roots.(12)

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1 The Earth Works Group, 50 Simple Things You Can do Save the Earth, Earthworks Press, Berkley, CA, 1989, p. 50. 2 Roger Findley and Daniel Farber, Environmental Law, West Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minnesota, 1995, p. 273. 3 The Earth Works Group, 50 Simple Things You Can do Save the Earth, Earthworks Press, Berkley, CA, 1989, p. 50. 4 Drinking Water Health Effects Task Force, Health Effects of Drinking Water Technologies, Lewis Publishers, Washington, DC, p. 27. 5 Drinking Water Health Effects Task Force, Health Effects of Drinking Water Technologies, Lewis Publishers, Washington, DC, p. 41. 6 Drinking Water Health Effects Task Force, Health Effects of Drinking Water Technologies, Lewis Publishers, Washington, DC, p., 81. 7 Warren Visser and Mark Hammer, Water Supply and Pollution Control, HaperCollins College, New York, p. 302. 8University of Pennsylvania Admissions Offices. 9 April Smith, Campus Ecology, Living Planet Press, Venice California, 1990, pg. , 60. 10 Brown is Green, Introduction to Brown is Green, http://www.envstudies.brown.edu/environ/BIG/ BrnIsGrn.html#Water 11EPA, How to Conserve Water and Use It Effectively, http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/sec6/chap3.html. 12EPA, How to Conserve Water and Use It Effectively, http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/sec6/chap3.html.