College implements conservation measures
Nov. 30, 2007
Andrew Lowery pumps harvested rainwater into one of the College’s 1,000-gallon storage tanks. |
How dry is it?
Well, it’s been so dry around here that the trees are whistling for the dogs – or, it’s so dry that our Catholic friends are praying to turn their wine back into water – or how ’bout, if water were gasoline, we wouldn’t have enough to power a flea’s motorboat across a coffee cup. (Then how’d we make the coffee, right?)
Hyperbole is often used to make a point, and the truth is that parts of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee are suffering through a drought of historic proportions. To cope with the recent watering restrictions, Campus Services, working in conjunction with College’s Sustainability Council, has implemented a rainwater harvesting program that will remain in place even after the current drought has ended.
“This is going to be our way of life now,” said Bob Vitale, Director of Campus Services.
Vitale said that in mid-October his crew cut the downspouts on the maintenance building and rigged up water-collection barrels.
“We had 280 gallons of water following our first rain,” he said.
After starting the program with just a few barrels, the College has since received donations of a 1,000-gallon storage tank from West Georgia Industries and several smaller tanks from ANCO. Additionally, it has purchased a second 1,000-gallon tank.
Vitale explained the way the system works is that once the barrels under the downspouts are full, the water is pumped into a tank attached to the back of a utility vehicle and taken to the grounds shed behind Cleaveland Field where it is then pumped into storage tanks.
“Right now, we have about 2,600 gallons of water stored,” Vitale said. “It’s funny because the guys are having fun with it – they’re just waiting for it to rain.”
So far, one of the primary uses of the harvested rain has been to water the more than $120,000 worth of landscaping that has been put in around the new parking lots. Future plans call for an expansion of the program to collect rainwater from the Patio on the Hill.
“We’re looking to put some barrels behind the bushes and install a pump system,” Vitale said. “We’ll attach a hose and water the landscaping around the Patio through that.”
Vitale said he wanted to single out two people – Greg Maddox (of Maddox Service Company) and Andrew Lowery – who have been instrumental in making the project a success.
“Greg has done a lot of the piping and making things operate, and Andrew has really taken this project on and enjoyed getting into it,” he said.
In addition to the water harvesting program, the College also is taking other measures to conserve water, some as simple as making sure all the faucets have aerators.
“Conventional faucets use five to 15 gallons a minute, and an aerated faucet reduces that to three gallons per minute,” Vitale said.
Maintenance crews also have installed low-flow shower heads in most of the community showers. And each time a “tank type” 3.5 gallon toilet comes up for replacement, in its place goes a new low-flow 1.6 gallon unit.
Other toilets are receiving new valves that will significantly cut the water flow. The campus community can soon look forward to learning to use a new dual-flush valve called the “Uppercut.”
The Uppercut features a green antimicrobial-coated handle that when pulled up will initiate a reduced 1.1 gallon flush, eliminating liquid waste. Pushing the handle down initiates a full 1.6 gallon flush, eliminating solid waste.
In the Dining Hall, Food Service Director John Luc reports that beginning Dec. 1 the dining trays will be removed, which will eliminate the need to wash them, saving more than 1,000 gallons of water a week.
In addition to the recent water conservation measures, this spring the College completed a major upgrade to the campus’s air conditioning and lighting system that has sharply reduced energy use. And in October, College officials broke ground on the new Frank and Laura Lewis Library, which is expected to be one of the first LEED-certified buildings in Troup County.
