Conserving Water at the University

The University has been targeting water use over several years and the main development in this area has been increasing adoption of water saving technology and automatic controls in the toilet areas.

1. Taps  - The University has been installing push head taps in toilet areas to limit water use, this measure has recently been modified and now when toilet areas are refurbished spray mixer taps with sensors are used.
   
   
2. Automatic Flush Controls – These are used to limit flushing by urinals and are particularly effective at reducing water consumption outside operating hours.
   
   
3. Low Volume Cisterns – Again when toilet areas are refurbished the existing large cisterns (typical volume 13 litres) are changed out for new low volume cisterns with a volume of 6 litres.

These measures have contributed to a reduction of over 100,000 cubic metres (equivalent to 100,000 tonnes of water) per year.

Things you can do on campus to help:

• First things first, only use the water that you need and do not waste it.  Don’t overfill kettles or let taps run when they are not being used.
• If you have lab equipment that needs water for cooling please supply details on an enquiry form on the contact us page and we will check to see if it would be more effective to chill it using closed circuit equipment.
• Report all leaks that you see – the costs of leaving a dripping or leaking tap, even for a few days are high.  Advice on how to report a leak is in the ‘Leaks, dripping taps and overflows’ section.

Cleaning at the University

The University takes environmental issues seriously in relation to cleaning. The paper towels and toilet tissue used are manufactured from 100% recycled materials. The polythene bags used are also made from recycled and recyclable polythene and should ultimately degrade. Cleaning products are chosen giving priority to safety, environmental friendliness and other aspects of sustainability e.g. packaging, reusable containers and disposal etc. without compromising performance. The manufacturer supplying these products is a member of the Charter for Sustainable Cleaning and has the proven and recognised environmental management system ISO 14001. All of these products are biodegradable, with the majority of mop heads and cleaning cloths in use made from micro fibres greatly reducing water usage and the need for chemicals.