University of Pittsburgh
OP-21: Water Use

Fiscal Year 2014 was selected the baseline year. As the time period for the University's 3rd greenhouse gas inventory, it has more inclusive and accurate building energy and water consumption information than the 2008 and 2011 GHG inventories). FY14 is also the baseline year for OP-5 (Building Energy Efficiency)

PITT SUSTAINABILITY PLAN WATER SYSTEMS GOALS

In the 2018 Pitt Sustainability Plan, the University of Pittsburgh set a variety of Water Systems goals that help us strive for responsible consumption of potable and non-potable water sources while using best practice for stormwater management and reuse on campus. These goals included:

• Strive toward a water neutral campus, with a 3% reduction in water use by 2020 from 2017 baseline.
• Embrace the Pittsburgh 2030 District goal of 50% reduction in water use intensity (consumption per square foot) by 2030 (below the historic district average).
• Reduce impervious surfaces 20% by 2030 (from 2017 baseline).
• Divert 25% of stormwater from remaining impervious surfaces by 2030 (to rain gardens, bioswales, or rainwater harvesting tanks).
• Work with the City to ensure clean, healthy drinking water for all in our community.

Pitt’s 2018-22 Progress on these goals: https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/progress-report/water-2018-22/

As a result of these goals, many students, faculty, and staff have been perpetuating projects on- and off-campus related to water systems. Five (5) examples are below include:
1) Campus Water Use
2) Pittsburgh Collaboratory for Water Research, Education, and Outreach
3) U.S. EPA RainWorks Challenge
4) Global Water for K-12 Educators
5) Water Quality On-Campus

CAMPUS WATER USE

The University of Pittsburgh achieved (and surpassed) its goal to reduce water usage on campus 3% between 2017 and 2020. Pitt reduced water consumption 10.1% between FY17 and FY20, reflecting the University’s ongoing investment in several water reducing approaches, including increased metering and water efficiency projects in new and existing buildings. Even with a growth in University-owned building space, campus-wide water use intensity (WUI) for FY22 was down 12.9% compared to FY16 and 14.2% below the regional baseline. These reductions are slightly behind the University’s incremental targets to reach its Pittsburgh 2030 District goal (those targets are a 20% WUI reduction by 2020, 35% by 2035, and 50% by 2030). However, it is a vast improvement from FY18, when campus-wide consumption was 10.4% above baseline (meaning worse than the regional average for similar buildings).

The University has updated its plumbing design standards and includes our 50% WUI reduction targets in major capital project design requests. Pitt-selected design and construction teams are consistently evaluated regarding their predicted achievement of these goals.

PITTSBURGH WATER COLLABORATORY

As Southwestern Pennsylvania continues to evolve from its industrial past, a complex set of water challenges impact the region’s economy, ecology, and public health.

Founded in 2017, the University’s Pittsburgh Collaboratory for Water Research, Education, and Outreach aspires to elevate water resource sustainability and resilience through research collaborations, communicating knowledge, and innovating solutions. By connecting universities, local governments, non-profits, & community groups, Pitt’s Water Collaboratory aims to align efforts across the region, ensuring that data & expertise are accessible to those who need it, that research responds to real needs, & that students are prepared to solve real challenges.

Since 2018, the Collaboratory has conducted extensive outreach to gauge regional research needs with respect to water quality, green infrastructure, and flooding. The published reports and results of this research influences local, regional, and national water policy, including via reports, water briefings, and partnered undergraduate research.

Since its inception, the Collaboratory has diligently worked to expand its presence in the Upper Ohio River Basin water community, identifying over 125 regional water organizations for potential collaborations.

Across Pitt, the Collaboratory has over 35 faculty affiliates from diverse disciplines, who help elevate water resource sustainability and resilience by fostering research collaborations, communicating knowledge, innovating solutions, and improving the health of the Upper Ohio River basin. The Collaboratory is actively working on uniting faculty, students, and community partners within research initiatives focusing on drinking water equity, ecological modeling, landslides, water quality monitoring, and public health.

Learn more about the Water Collaboratory: https://www.water.pitt.edu/

The Water Collaboratory is also a clearinghouse for all things water at Pitt, including 26 water-related courses. https://www.water.pitt.edu/education/pitt-water-courses

The Water Collaboratory also hosts a bi-weekly water discussion series for learning about water in a rapidly changing world.: https://www.water.pitt.edu/education/water-changing-world-meetings

As covered in AASHE STARS credit EN-14, Water Collaboratory Briefings provide the community with educational resources on water-related topics, which in turn can help influence future practice and policy. In 2021 through 2023, these briefing topics included Southwest Pennsylvania Train Accidents 2011-2022; How Does Stream Burial Affect Water Runoff?; and In the Fight Against Tooth Decay: May the Fluoride Be With You!.

In 2021 and 2022, the Water Collaboratory published several undergraduate research reports in partnership with a partner organization that interacts with water systems; many of these reports ultimate influence local water policy and practice.

U.S. EPA RAINWORKS CHALLENGE

In Spring 2021, a Pitt student group dubbed “PreciPITTation” earned second place in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 9th annual Campus RainWorks Challenge. The project utilized multiple green infrastructure practices to create a master plan design focusing on eliminating combined sewer overflows while creating safe, multi-functional spaces accessible to the Pitt campus and greater Pittsburgh communities.

Learn more - https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/pitt-student-project-places-second-in-epas-9th-annual-campus-rainworks-challenge/

GLOBAL WATER FOR K-12 EDUCATORS

In 2021, the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA) at the University of Pittsburgh taught a “Teaching The Global Water Crisis” a mini-course for K-12 educators that explored the global water crisis through attention to its geopolitical, cultural, economic, and technological aspects, with particular attention to scholars and practitioners working within the environmental, political, and technological framework to address these challenges using a people-centered approach. Held over February 8, 10, and 11, 2021, special attention was given to the case of East Asia.

For over 25 years, Pitt’s NCTA has provided high-quality professional development opportunities on the histories, arts, cultures, politics, languages and literatures of East Asia, with a particular focus on China, Japan and Korea. Pitt faculty teach these courses throughout the 11 state regions of Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia

Teaching The Global Water Crisis: Mini-Course Resources - https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/ncta/global-water-crisis-resources

WATER QUALITY ON-CAMPUS

When the Pitt Sustainability Plan was drafted in 2017, the governance and state of Pittsburgh’s drinking water was in a very different place. However, in the last six years, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s (PWSA) focus on providing cleaner drinking water has been nationally recognized, including concentration on replacing all lead service lines city-wide by 2026.

On-campus, the University of Pittsburgh also regularly tests drinking water to verify water quality. All campus buildings are tested on regular cycles for lead, with most sampled locations being below 5 ppb; none exceed the U.S. standard of 15 ppb.

Pitt has also proactively installed systems that effectively control legionella bacteria in more than 20 residence halls. These systems continuously monitor water quality. Pitt performs additional testing for legionella on an annual basis.

In an ongoing effort to reduce single-use plastics on-campus, Pitt’s Student Government Board (SGB) created a Single-Use Plastic Task Force in 2023 to work on strategies to greatly reduce and eventually eliminate the use of single use plastics on Pitt’s campus. Chaired by the Student Office of Sustainability liaison to SGB, the Task Force is working with Pitt’s dining services (Pitt Eats by Chartwells); Business, Hospitality, and Auxiliary Services; and others to reduce the use of single use plastics by focusing on education about water quality and increasing the number of hydration stations across campus.

>> Pitt water quality webpage - https://www.fm.pitt.edu/news/water-quality-testing-campus
>> 2023 SGB Single-Use Plastics Task Force - https://pittnews.com/article/182264/news/student-government/sgb-discusses-single-use-plastics

The University of Pittsburgh is dedicated to stormwater management practices to help protect our local water ways from sewage overflows and preventing flooding. By 2030 Pitt will reduce impervious surfaces by 20% from 2017 baseline and divert 25% of stormwater from remaining surfaces to rain gardens, bioswales, or rainwater harvesting tanks.

Pitt is dedicated to growing green stormwater infrastructure on campus. Pitt has 10 rain gardens and 9 green roofs on campus that detain and absorb excess rainwater, enabling it to naturally infiltrate into and nourish the soil, while helping mitigate Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) issues.

To reach toward the goal of diverting 25% of stormwater from impervious surfaces by 2030, the University is using both green and gray stormwater infrastructure solutions. Green stormwater infrastructure includes nature-based solutions (i.e., rain gardens, green roofs, and bioswales) to capture and store rainwater. Increasing tree canopy and green spaces around campus also helps manage rainwater and reduce flooding. Gray stormwater infrastructure is typically underground and focuses on rainwater retention and/or reuse. Both approaches are required to help lessen the regional combined sewer overflow burden (which includes a City of Pittsburgh consent decree with the U.S. EPA).

RAIN GARDENS

Pitt’s rain gardens detain and absorb excess rainwater, enabling it to naturally infiltrate into and nourish the soil, while helping mitigate Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow challenges. Two of these rain gardens are new since 2017, bringing the total rain gardens on campus to ten:

• Bigelow Bioswales – This series of rain gardens were added in 2020. In addition to handling 5,150 cubic feet of stormwater, the bioswales increase safety by direct pedestrians to the new raised crosswalk.
• Scaife Hall – Cascading rain garden on Lothrop Street added in 2023.
• Sutherland Hall Rain Gardens – Expanded to include 2 rain gardens in 2020.

The University of Pittsburgh’s draft stormwater master plan is complete and a public summary under internal review. This plan identifies major rainwater capture, storage, and reuse initiatives.

RAINWATER REUSE

Given the urban nature of the University’s Pittsburgh campus, only so many aboveground rainwater management solutions are possible. As a result, the University has also prioritized a large underground, interconnected cross-campus rainwater capture and reuse system. Currently in various stages of design and construction, the system will allow Pitt to capture and reuse treated rainwater for processes in Pitt’s central utility plants.

The first step of Pitt’s multi-phase rainwater reuse network included piping under Bigelow Boulevard (2020).

The next phase will be linking existing stormwater collection to the University’s new Upper Campus Chilled Water Plant (2022).

Follow-on phases will include distributed underground rainwater collection tanks and piping that will connect Pitt’s rainwater reuse network across campus.

A large cross-campus rainwater capture and reuse system is in various stages of design, construction, and operation will capture and reuse treated rainwater as for make-up water at our central utility plants.

The first phase of the multi-phase stormwater improvement plan is the Upper Campus Chilled Water Plant project, which includes a 250,000 gallon underground cistern adjacent to the building, which is networked with additional rainwater capture cisterns being installed on upper campus. As of this submission, cistern construction is complete and the system is in the process of being brought online.

The plan’s second phase includes future Posvar Chilled Water Plant upgrades and installing an underground rainwater collection tank and distribution piping that will connect to piping under Bigelow Boulevard for a campus-wide rainwater reuse network. This phase is currently in construction.

Given the City of Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) system (which is under consent decree with the U.S. EPA), the new Pitt system will lessen the regional burden on both the CSO system and local potable water infrastructure.

AQUIFER WATER

Since 2001, the University of Pittsburgh has also used underground aquifer water (tapped into during the construction of Sennott Square) to water planted areas and hanging baskets around campus that require irrigation. In 2001, designers took advantage of this by installing an access point to collect the water for use on campus. This Pittsburgh aquifer runs from Herron Hill to Schenley Park; the use of this untreated water to help sustain ecological systems reduces the amount of municipal water consumed and has a lower impact on the environment.

The University of Pittsburgh strives for responsible consumption of both potable and non-potable water on-campus. Specific Pitt Sustainability Plan goals include:

• Strive toward a water neutral campus, with a 3% reduction in water use by 2020 from 2017 baseline. (Achieved in 2020)
• Embrace Pittsburgh 2030 District goals of 50% reduction below the district average in water use intensity (gallons per square foot) by 2030 -- and establish design standards and operational practices to achieve them.
• Low flow plumbing fixtures are installed and being upgraded across campus in support of Pitt’s goal to reduce water use intensity 50% by 2030.

CAMPUS USE

In 2014, the University became a founding Property Partner of the Pittsburgh 2030 District, publicly committing to the international 2030 Challenge reduction targets of 50% reductions in water use intensity (water consumption in gallons per square foot) by 2030 (below regional baselines); these efforts have included establishing and continuing to update the design standards and operational practices to achieve these goals.

The University of Pittsburgh achieved (and surpassed) its goal to reduce water usage on campus 3% between 2017 and 2020. Pitt reduced water consumption 10.1% between FY17 and FY20. For overall Pittsburgh campus water consumption, the University maintained a 11% reduction in FY22 compared to FY17.

The University’s ongoing investment in several water reducing approaches include:
1) Increasing water metering and monitoring to allow for quicker reactions to water and steam use aberrations and possible malfunctions or leaks.
2) Investing in efficiency projects campus-wide, including at the University’s chilled water plants and at the plumbing fixture scale (which each reduce water use by 30%).
3) Pursuing LEED building certifications for new buildings and large capital projects —which incorporate water efficiency efforts.

WATER USE VISUALIZED

Pitt’s water use tracking across campus and by building includes existing buildings, new buildings, and major renovations. All water projects are covered by the University’s Design Manual, Division J (Mechanical, which covers plumbing efficiency): https://www.pdc.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/assets/Design%20Manual%20Division%20J.pdf.

First released in 2021, the Water Use Intensity Dashboard below showcases Pitt’s building water use intensity and performance at both the building and Pittsburgh campus scales, while simultaneously selecting variable time frames through which to review data and results.

Contextual baselines and goals are also provided campus-wide and for each building, reflecting Pitt’s commitment to goals of 50% reductions in water use intensity (gallons per square foot) by 2030 (below regional baselines).

>> Learn more on Pitt’s Water Use Intensity Dashboard – Select “Building Water Use Intensity” https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/dashboard/

NEW CONSTRUCTION & MAJOR RENOVATIONS

All plumbing fixtures installed on Pitt construction and renovation projects are required to be high efficiency, low flow fixtures in line with Pitt Design Manual Division J, https://www.pdc.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/assets/Design%20Manual%20Division%20J.pdf

Additionally, all Pitt new construction and major renovation projects have WUI targets set at the very beginning that align with the University’s 2030 Challenge targets.

EXISTING BUILDINGS

From 2018 through 2021, Pitt upgraded bathrooms in the 3 Litchfield Tower dormitories, including moving to much more efficient fixtures; these projects contributed to over $250,000 in annual water savings annually for the University, while responsibly stewarding Pittsburgh’s water resources.

Additionally, since 2018, the University has contracted with The Efficiency Network (TEN) to advance energy and water upgrades. TEN has audited over 18 campus buildings for water upgrades to-date, with water efficiency upgrades completed in 4 additional buildings through September 2023. This effort is part of a multi-year Pitt Facilities Management project to replace all old flush valves and faucets. Once complete, all toilet flush valves will provide 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) or less, urinals will all be 1-pint per flush, and all public restroom faucets will be 0.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less.

For the baseline year (FY14):
• The number of distance education students is unknown.
• Gross floor area reflects FY14 GHG inventory baseline.
• The area of vegetated grounds is a rough estimate.

FY23 water consumption provided by Pitt Facilities' internal PowerBI dashboard.

REFERENCES
• Pitt Water webpage: https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/campus-culture/facilities/water/
• Pitt Water Use Intensity Dashboard – Select “Building Water Use Intensity” https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/dashboard/
• 2018-22 Progress Report on the Pitt Sustainability Plan, Water Systems section - https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/progress-report/water-2018-22/
• Pitt Green Buildings- https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/campus-culture/facilities/buildings/
• Facilities Sustainability @ Pitt - https://www.fm.pitt.edu/sustainability
• In the University’s Design Manual, Division J (Mechanical) covers plumbing efficiency: https://www.pdc.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/assets/Design%20Manual%20Division%20J.pdf
• Pitt EcoReps - https://www.instagram.com/pittecoreps/?hl=en