Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 56.09
Liaison Ciara Tennis
Submission Date Nov. 10, 2021

STARS v2.2

Eastern Connecticut State University
OP-21: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.00 / 6.00 Renee Theroux-Keech
Interim Director
Office of Facilities Management & Planning
"---" 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:
High

Part 1. Reduction in potable water use per person 

Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water withdrawal 25,884,841 Gallons 43,768,974 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 25,884,841 Gallons 43,768,974 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Period July 1, 2019 June 30, 2020
Baseline Period June 7, 2013 June 6, 2014

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
In previous submissions, the water volumes were entered in cubic feet rather than gallons. The baseline year data has been corrected to accurately reflect gallons used. We are still using the (corrected) 2016 STARS submission to highlight the change in water usage.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,343 2,628
Number of employees resident on-site 13 12
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 4,408 5,440
Full-time equivalent of employees 721 744
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 166 440
Weighted campus users 4,311.25 4,968

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 6,004.02 Gallons 8,810.18 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
31.85

Part 2. Reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 2,419,009 Gross square feet 2,288,256 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 10.70 Gallons per square foot 19.13 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
44.06

Part 3. Reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds 

Area of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Vegetated grounds 126.83 Acres 126.47 Acres

Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds 204,090.84 Gallons per acre 346,081.87 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
41.03

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:
All residence hall rooms across campus have been upgraded to low-flow showerheads, which save energy and hot water while waiting for shower to become warm. These showerheads reduce energy and water usage while educating students about sustainability practices when installed.

A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
---

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
Eastern has installed low-flow showerheads in all residence halls. All residence hall faucets and toilets are low-flow. When fixtures need to be replaced, they are replaced with low-flow features. All toilets and urinals on campus are low-flow. Restrooms in the Science Building also have waterless urinals. The primary pumps in our heating plant have been converted from water-cooled to air-cooled.

Website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Total water usage was provided by Renee Theroux-Keech, Director of Facilities Management & Planning.

In previous submissions, the water volumes were entered in cubic feet rather than gallons. The baseline year data has been corrected to accurately reflect gallons used. We are still using the (corrected) 2016 STARS submission to highlight the change in water usage.

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.