Watering the Campus in Time of Drought

Every hot, dry summer in North Carolina, Joe Jackson and the grounds crew at Duke have their hands full. How do they keep Duke's 1,395 acres of plants, flowers, trees and grass looking good without wasting water?

The answer is plant the right plants, don't water if you don't have to and get all students and employees involved in water conservation.

"As far as landscaping goes, proper selection of plant material is key," said Jackson, assistant director of grounds and sanitation in the Facilities Management Department (FMD). "We put the right plant in the right place. Plants that like cool, moist, shade go into cool, moist, shady areas. Plants that tolerate sun and heat go into sunny, dry locations."

According to Jackson, 35 percent of Duke's landscaped areas are irrigated. Maintenance and an optimal watering schedule play an important role in conservation efforts. Grounds crews watch for leaky pipes and broken sprinkler heads, and irrigation is programmed for early morning hours to prevent as much evaporation and transpiration as possible.

"We are constantly assessing and upgrading our system, as well," Jackson said. "Right now, we're looking toward computerized irrigation that would be monitored from a central source."

FMD policy for landscaping is to reduce water use while taking measures to spare the campus from the worst effects of heat and dryness. In times of drought, irrigation of established trees and shrubs is done only when "signs of stress are evident." In addition, watering of newly planted trees and shrubs are reduced from three to two times a week and the use of Duke's water truck, which provides water for special "accent" plantings is reduced by 40 percent.

Outdoors isn't the only place where Duke is looking to save water. Inside buildings, there's also savings to be had, FMD officials say. The department first implemented water-saving strategies in 1995, and since that time, consumption in the more than 200 campus buildings has declined by 26 percent.

Tavey McDaniel Capps, Duke's Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, suggests that employees, faculty, and students can find ways to save water.

"It is important for the Duke community to understand how their daily habits impact water consumption here on campus," Capps said. "The university can make changes such as reducing irrigation and installing low flow fixtures, but we are very reliant on personal behavior to significantly reduce our water use.

"Small choices like not letting the water run when you wash your hands or reporting leaking faucets can save thousands of gallons. Duke has a huge impact on the water consumption of the Durham community and we need to do our part to make conservation a priority."

Many of these water-saving ideas can be adapted for home use. Some suggestions include:

• Repair leaks in toilets and faucets.
• Store drinking water in refrigerator to avoid running the tap for cool water.
• Take a short shower rather than a tub bath.
• Turn off faucets while brushing teeth, shaving or rinsing dishes.
• Install water flow restrictive shower heads.
• Wash full loads in clothes washers and dishwashers.

Glenn Reynolds, associate director of Systems / Engineering Services, said everyone should adopt water conservation practices, both at home and on campus. Environmental and community preservation depends on individual responsibility.

"Duke continues to be pro-active in conserving water in the performance of our functions on campus," Reynolds said. "Employees are conscious of the importance of water conservation in the performance of their daily duties, and in being good stewards of Duke's resources and as community members."