| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 51.83 |
| Liaison | Leslie North |
| Submission Date | Jan. 9, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Western Kentucky University
OP-26: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.00 / 3.00 |
Level of water risk for the institution’s main campus:
Total water use (potable and non-potable combined)::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water use | 377,244,076 Gallons | 269,844,888 Gallons |
Potable water use::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 377,244,076 Gallons | 269,844,888 Gallons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users"::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 4,417 | 4,393 |
| Number of residential employees | 25 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 16,362 | 15,951 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 2,368 | 2,453 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 1,701 | 499 |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 5,093,168 Square feet | 4,743,844 Square feet |
Area of vegetated grounds::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 249 Acres | 220 Acres |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2013 | June 30, 2014 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
It is not a formally adopted baseline. WKU Facilities Management tracks utility use including water.
Water recycled/reused on campus, performance year:
Recycled/reused water withdrawn from off-campus sources, performance year:
A brief description of any water recovery and reuse systems employed by the institution:
Several rainwater harvesting systems have been installed at WKU. At three sites on the main campus, and one site at the WKU farm, rainwater is collected from rooftops into large cisterns. On campus, one of two 550 gallon cisterns is located near the Department of Facilities Management and the other is at the Health Services building. The water from the cisterns is dispersed to drip lines that irrigate local gardens. At the Dept. of Facilities Management maintenance barn at South Street, six 2,600 gallon cisterns collect water off the barn roof, which is used to fill an irrigation truck for campus trees and gardens. On the Farm, two 1300 gallon cisterns collect water from the livestock barn roof. This water is for many uses, including spraying down the Expo Center arena floor to reduce dust.
A brief description of any water metering and management systems employed by the institution:
While individual buildings are not all metered for water, our rainwater collection systems are metered to track use.
A brief description of any building retrofit practices employed by the institution, e.g. to install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings:
WKU entered into an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with Johnson Controls Inc. in 2009. WKU’s ESPC includes $9.7 million in energy reducing and facility improvements. Thirty-eight existing buildings have been impacted with 2,114 water saving fixtures.
A brief description of any policies or programs employed by the institution to replace appliances, equipment and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
In addition to the water saving fixtures described above, low-flow faucet heads, toilets, and shower heads are being systematically installed across campus.
A brief description of any water-efficient landscape design practices employed by the institution (e.g. xeriscaping):
Landscape plants used are primarily native and drought tolerant, and several xeriscape gardens have been installed around campus.
A brief description of any weather-informed irrigation technologies employed by the institution:
Weather and soil moisture informed irrigation aids in minimizing water used for irrigation.
A brief description of other water conservation and efficiency strategies employed by the institution:
The website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.