University of Texas at Austin
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.74 / 4.00 |
Jim
Walker Director of Sustainability, Financial, and Administrative Services University Operations |
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 | 697,924,106,550 Gallons | 920,061,443,000 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 540,714,494,000 Gallons | 884,925,655,000 Gallons |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Sept. 1, 2018 | July 31, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | Sept. 1, 2008 | July 31, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
Submission unchanged from 2020 submission.
The water use baseline year was chosen to represent the last 10 year period of pre-COVID activity.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 7,400 | 6,900 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 16 | 16 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 211 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 48,479 | 50,995 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 14,998 | 12,142 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 30 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 49,650.25 | 49,081.75 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 10,890,468.71 Gallons | 18,029,627.20 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 | 27,581,856 Gross square feet | 22,851,399 Gross square feet |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 19,603.99 Gallons per square foot | 38,725.23 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 | 140 Acres | 140 Acres |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 4,985,172,189.64 Gallons per acre | 6,571,867,450 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:
Irrigation usage is digitally monitored. Moisture sensors are also being utilized to see moisture level before and after irrigation cycles. Rain water harvesting and reclaimed water is being used and signage is placed around those sites letting students/faculty know about the endeavor.
A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) has had an active water recovery program since the 1980s. UEM currently saves more than 100 million gallons of potable water each year through innovative uses of alternative water sources, and in the history of the program, the university has recovered more than 1.3 billion gallons. These alternative sources include groundwater and air conditioning condensate water recovered from building cooling systems. Since 2013, UEM has also been using reclaimed water from the City of Austin. This reclaimed water, which is significantly lower in cost than potable water, is highly treated municipal wastewater and is used for making up evaporative losses in some campus cooling towers. UEM is also working with Landscape Services in Facilities Services on a project to use reclaimed water for landscape irrigation. This small site at the northeast corner of Dean Keeton St. and San Jacinto Blvd. will be an ideal area to learn how to use reclaimed water for landscape irrigation.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
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:
Potable water use by campus power plant is included in calculations (recommend future iterations of STARS address types of potable water use separately), resulting in high normalized consumption results.
https://utilities.utexas.edu/efficiency/water-conservation-efforts
Potable water use by campus power plant is included in calculations (recommend future iterations of STARS address types of potable water use separately), resulting in high normalized consumption results.
https://utilities.utexas.edu/efficiency/water-conservation-efforts
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.