| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.71 |
| Liaison | Christie-Joy Hartman |
| Submission Date | Sept. 13, 2024 |
James Madison University
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.19 / 6.00 |
Nate
Brown Sustainability Analyst Facilities Engineering & Construction |
Level of ”Physical Risk Quantity” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal | 188,779,515 Gallons | 142,762,950 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 188,779,515 Gallons | 142,762,950 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 | July 1, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 6,141 | 5,805 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 11 | 3 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 21,301 | 18,225 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 3,336 | 2,925 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,555 | 255 |
| Weighted campus users | 18,849.50 | 17,123.25 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 10,015.09 Gallons | 8,337.37 Gallons |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 8,548,041 Gross square feet | 5,309,728 Gross square feet |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 22.08 Gallons per square foot | 26.89 Gallons per square foot |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
Area of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 432.40 Acres | 397.09 Acres |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 436,585.37 Gallons per acre | 359,522.90 Gallons per acre |
Percentage reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:
A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
To reduce potable water consumption, new and innovative methods of harvesting and reusing water have been identified and piloted on campus in the past few years. One major source of harvested water is Newman Lake on campus. Under the lake is an extensive pump system allowing an estimated 345,000 gallons of water to be harvested every year to irrigate the surrounding landscape. One way water is recycled on campus is through the capture of water used during required weekly fire pump tests, reducing potable water consumption by an estimated 50,000 gallons. Additionally, a rainwater harvesting cistern is located at Wayland Hall which captured 112,200 gallons of roof runoff to be reused for toilet flushing during the performance year.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
JMU’s Policy 1701 requires that “the most water efficient appliances available must be purchased. This includes, but is not limited to, high performance fixtures such as toilets, low-flow faucets and aerators, and upgraded irrigation systems. When possible, those with the EPA WaterSense label will be selected.”
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:
According to World Resources Institute Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, Harrisonburg is now listed as High in the Physical Risks Quantity category.
Total water use is retrieved from the sum of all water bill utility payments, provided by Valerie Gray, Energy & Utility Admin Analyst in FM.
Area of vegetated grounds was determined using the latest (2022) MS4 GIS data with the help of Nate Rexrode, Geospatial Analyst/Programmer using the following land use categories:
- Hedges, Shrubs, Tree_Outline, Grass, Golf_Course, Grounds, Athletic_Fields
Data entered by Nate Brown, FM Sustainability Analyst.
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.