California State University, Sacramento
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.67 / 4.00 |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Level of ”Physical Risk Quantity” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Low to Medium
Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal | 573,679,596 Gallons | 146,907,755.45 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 57,513,303 Gallons | 75,514,353.30 Gallons |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | Aug. 1, 2013 | July 31, 2014 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
The performance year was chosen based on the most recent 12 month fiscal period prior to starting work on the STARS report. The baseline year was determined by choosing the 12 month period prior to completing the first STARS assessment.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 2,200 | 1,700 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 7 | 49 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 26,261 | 24,237 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 3,332 | 1,801 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 2,581 | 12,372 |
| Weighted campus users | 20,810.75 | 10,686.75 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 2,763.63 Gallons | 7,066.17 Gallons |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
60.89
Gross floor area of building space:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 6,100,509 Gross square feet | 5,166,951 Gross square feet |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 9.43 Gallons per square foot | 14.61 Gallons per square foot |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
35.49
Area of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 170 Acres | 169 Acres |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 3,374,585.86 Gallons per acre | 869,276.66 Gallons per acre |
Percentage reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
-288.21
A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:
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A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
LID is the sustainability term for managing stormwater; it involves treating runoff close to its source, incorporating existing infrastructure to optimize feasibility, and enhancing pollutant load reduction through stormwater infiltration, retention, and treatment. The types of LID BMPs installed include bioretention planters, rain gardens, and compost-amended bioswales all of which remove pollutants from runoff through various treatment mechanisms such as sedimentation, filtration, infiltration, and adsorption.
Stormwater runoff captured from the eastern side of campus is pumped through the levee and into the river without any treatment. Walk onto the bridge until you reach the first tower, look down on the right side to see the six discharge pipes sticking out of the ground. The concrete pavement below the pipes prevents erosion when runoff is being discharged. The pump station is located in the yellow building behind you. Here's a short video of the discharge in action.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
To research methods to reduce water, energy, and total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on campus, Sac State Sustainability and Facilities Management partnered with students on a research project that resulted in an over $700k grant from the Department of Water Resources. The initial goal of the student project was to replace manual faucets with automatic, infrared (IR) faucets throughout the campus. However, with a lack of non-biased research, the sustainability team worked with the student group to conduct a research study. Over four months and three separate phases, research was conducted in a heavily-used building on campus to compare manual faucets to automatic faucets with .05 and .35 aerators. The results showed a water reduction of between 30% and 50% when automatic faucets were used with a .35 aerator instead of manual faucets, creating the basis for the successful grant submission. With funding from the Department of Water Resources, the campus replaced approximately 600 faucets, 200 showerheads, 10 washing machines, 11 ice makers, a steam cooker, and countless other fixtures with Energy Star-rated appliances. These replacements resulted in annual savings of $40,000 and over 5 million gallons of water, and turn, Sac State students, faculty, and staff now contribute to reducing the campus's total GHG emissions by simply washing their hands and using other energy-efficient water fixtures on campus.
Through a recent project, 589 faucets, 144 showerheads, 85 shower valves, and several dishwashers and clothes washers have been replaced with more water-efficient appliances. Infrared faucets were installed, and showerheads with flow rates of 2.5gpm were replaced with 1.5gpm. Previously, the majority of toilets and urinals have been replaced with water-efficient fixtures.
Website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency efforts is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.csus.edu/experience/innovation-creativity/sustainability/_internal/sustainability-report-print-reduced.pdf
https://www.owp.csus.edu/lid/site/lot-7-infiltrating-bioswale.html
https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNTNlZDc5MmUtZDFiZC00MzFmLTg5NDYtNTdlNmI0ZjA0YzZlIiwidCI6ImI2YjQ5MDAxLThiM2YtNDNmYS05OWExLTcwNmU4YzdlMzU5OCIsImMiOjZ9&pageName=ReportSection
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.