Page 7 - Sustainability Plan

Water Conservation
We will increase our water self-
sustainability by monitoring and
conserving our water usage. — Paul Allison, Supervisor, Gardens and Grounds
In the spirit of environmental stewardship, Royal Roads University is committed to conserving and protecting fresh water sources on campus and in surrounding communities.
Since 1996, our overall water consumption is down
27 per cent despite the growth in our on-campus community and built environment over the same period. However, the nancial cost of the water we use is up 43 per cent, providing an additional incentive to conserve water.
Water conservation is a priority in both our natural and built environments. For example, we employ a closed loop irrigation system fed by a local groundwater
in the gardens and grounds. The water used in the washrooms in the Learning and Innovation Centre building is supplied by a rainwater catchment system, which saves 160,000 L of freshwater annually. Low- ow showerheads and toilets installed in the Recreation Centre and higher ef ciency laundry equipment in the residencies also reduce water usage.
Royal Roads is also working towards the reduction of bottled water on campus. New water bottle lling stations have been installed on campus, and orientation for new students, staff and faculty now includes our message of water conservation.
As the university continues to grow, our conservation efforts will become even more important. We will work to ensure that our commitment to water conservation is re ected in new construction on campus and in the upgrades made to the existing built environment at Royal Roads.
100000 80000 60000 40000 20000
100000
80000
60000
$21122
40000
34779 m3
Performance measure: Annual Water Usage (m3) for RRU
47600 m3
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Indicator: Water Use
Target: Maintain current usage level
Annual Cost of RRU Water Usage ($)
$64345
20000
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Indicator: Water Use
Target: Maintain current usage level
OUTCOME
Freshwater is a vital resource and is worth protecting. Global climate change is projected to reduce water quality and threaten freshwater ecosystems by altering the timing and magnitude of stream ows.3 Reducing water consumption will help to preserve the freshwater supply here on Vancouver Island for generations to come.
3 IPCC Working Group III (2014). Climate change 2014: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability.
Sustainability Plan 6