University of Massachusetts Amherst
OP-T2-46: Non-Potable Water Usage

The Central Heating Plant (CHP) currently utilizes the effluent from the Amherst Waste Water Treatment Plant (reclaimed water) as boiler make-up water to produce steam for the campus. To increase water conservation, the CHP has received a Class A Reclaimed Water Application to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to use reclaimed water at the CHP cooling towers as well, the first issued in Western Massachusetts. The Amherst campus currently uses about 330 million gallons of water per year. With the Class A Permit, the CHP would be able to use up to 200,000 gallons per day of reclaimed water, resulting in a potential reduction of potable water consumption of 21%. History: Approximately ten years ago the Town of Amherst Department of Public Utilities requested that UMass investigate ways to reuse the town’s Waste Water Treatment Plant’s effluent (reclaimed water) on campus. UMass commissioned a study to investigate the feasibility of reusing this effluent and confirmed that the reclaimed water was possible for boiler water make-up at the old power plant. The best path forward on this effort was to use proven technology – multi media filters, reverse osmosis membranes, and chlorination. With approval from the Town of Amherst and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection the University started utilizing reclaimed water in 2005. The water re-use initiative reduced potable water consumption by about 16%.