University of California, Los Angeles
IN-49: Innovation C

UCLA’s water reclamation program garnered the Water Efficiency Project of the Year award in February 2017, presented by the environmentally focused organization the Los Angeles Better Buildings Challenge at its third annual Innovation Awards ceremony.
UCLA’s water reclamation program uses clean water that is normally discharged into the sanitary sewer system is captured and reused as make-up water for the cogeneration plant cooling towers. Currently, 22 buildings have been piped to collect this water for collection in a common sump which is then pumped to the towers. The clean reclaimed water is produced from several normal and naturally occurring processes including: water from air handling unit cooling coils, autoclaves cleaning cycle, water seal vacuum pumps, RO/DI pure water system process water.
UCLA’s water reclamation program saves 28 million gallons every year by capturing water used in laboratories, and reclaimed water from air conditioners and from sterilization and other equipment in 22 buildings across campus. The annual total amount of reclaimed water is expected to increase to 48 million gallons annually over the next few years as UCLA Facilities Management expands the program to include more campus buildings and incorporate additional water-saving efforts.
UCLA is a living laboratory for demonstrating sustainability, and the water-saving effort is part of UCLA's plan to cut potable water use by 36 percent per capita by 2025. The project also supports UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, a university-wide research initiative to transition the Los Angeles region to 100 percent renewable energy, 100 percent local water, and an enhanced ecosystem and human health by 2050.