| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.20 |
| Liaison | Olivia Shehan |
| Submission Date | Dec. 24, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Wellesley College
OP-26: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Patrick
Willoughby Sustainability Director Facilities |
Level of water risk for the institution’s main campus:
Total water use (potable and non-potable combined)::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water use | 85,024,287 Gallons | 124,769,000 Gallons |
Potable water use::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 76,603,590 Gallons | 124,769,000 Gallons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users"::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 2,069 | 2,190 |
| Number of residential employees | 15 | 15 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 2,177 | 2,237 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,083 | 1,003 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 2,539,500 Square feet | 2,462,855 Square feet |
Area of vegetated grounds::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 470 Acres | 468 Acres |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Jan. 1, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 |
| Baseline Year | Jan. 1, 2009 | Dec. 31, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
A baseline year was adopted in 2009 as part of an aggressive partnership with the DEP to reduce the college's water withdrawal. This was also a targeted priority even before the Office of Sustainability was established.
Water recycled/reused on campus, performance year:
Recycled/reused water withdrawn from off-campus sources, performance year:
A brief description of any water recovery and reuse systems employed by the institution:
The majority of irrigation on main campus utilizes water from Lake Waban and not from our potable supply. While irrigation does use water the water is being used in the same general area it is drawn from and the water not taken up by plants or lost through evaporation is returned to this system. The Nehoiden Golf Course is now irrigating with water drawn from a well installed on the golf course property in 2012. While this does not meet the criteria of the credit it is important to note.
A brief description of any water metering and management systems employed by the institution:
Per DEP regulations the college must track all water withdrawals from our wells and any other source such as Lake Waban. Many buildings are sub metered and all campus irrigation systems are metered. All irrigation systems have rain sensors and the larger systems are computer interfaced with a weather station by a sophisticated irrigation control system. We also have the ability to import from the town, which also closely meters the amount of water imported.
A brief description of any building retrofit practices employed by the institution, e.g. to install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings:
All shower heads and faucets on campus are low-flow. All washing machines are high efficiency, both in terms of water use and electrical consumption. Dual flush toilets have been installed in the chapel and some dorms.
A brief description of any policies or programs employed by the institution to replace appliances, equipment and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
Low flow shower heads and faucets have been installed in all resident halls and high efficiency washers have been installed throughout campus.
A brief description of any water-efficient landscape design practices employed by the institution (e.g. xeriscaping):
The majority of the campus is not irrigated, except in high use and/or formal areas: athletic fields, golf course, and quadrangles. The overall campus continues to be naturalized and incorporates plantings that are well suited to the college's environment, these areas are only watered during the establishment phase. All of West campus is irrigated from adjacent Lake Waban, a 110 acre lake water pond.
A brief description of any weather-informed irrigation technologies employed by the institution:
All small systems have control systems that cease irrigation during periods of rain. Large systems are directly tied into a computer irrigation system monitored weather station, which also monitors humidity and other factors.
A brief description of other water conservation and efficiency strategies employed by the institution:
In order to reduce the amount of bottled water that is purchased for events, the Office of Sustainability built 3 water stations known as Wells on Wheels that connect directly to our own municipal water supply. This not only reduces waste from plastic bottles, but it also reduces excess water consumption and allows people to get just the right amount that they need. Furthermore, it reduces the transportation emissions that would otherwise be due to bottled water distributors.
The website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.