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Every Drop Precious

Duke's water usage drops 9 percent this summer. Here's how you can help

Instead of running water over frozen food, chefs and kitchen assistants in Duke Dining Services are thawing food inside refrigerators.

In a Facilities Management Department (FMD) shop, mechanics are increasing inspections for leaks in campus buildings and stopped washing its fleet of 180 vehicles -- except for windows, which need to remain clean for safety reasons

Landscapers who maintain the park-like appearance of Duke's 1,395 acres cut watering from three times a week to two and postponed planting fall flowers.

"Some of the beds are actually empty right now because we've pulled out plants that were stressed, and we're waiting a while before we put in the pansies and other fall plantings," said Joe Jackson, assistant director of grounds and sanitation in FMD.

City Sets Mandatory Conservation Measures

With drought conditions in the piedmont continuing and little relief from recent rains, Durham City Manager Patrick W. Baker has enacted Stage III Moderate Mandatory Conservation of the City of Durham's Water Conservation Ordinance, effective Friday, September 21, 2007.

With mandatory restrictions in place, City officials expect to decrease the daily water demand by 20 to 30 percent. Stage III Moderate Mandatory Conservation restricts the following activities:

· No watering of lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, flowers, golf greens or vegetable gardens except between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. OR 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

· Do not add water to wading pools or swimming pools except to the extent necessary to replenish losses due to evaporation or spillage, and maintain operation of chemical feed equipment.

· Do not use water to wash down outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, or for other similar purposes.

· Do not add water to any decorative fountain, pool or pond except where the water is recycled.

· Do not serve water in a restaurant or similar establishment except upon request.

· Do not use water for any unnecessary purpose or intentionally waste water.

· Do not wash the exterior of a motor vehicle unless a private well water system is used, or unless 50 percent or more of the water is recycled, or it can be demonstrated that 30 gallons of water or less are used to wash the vehicle.

Stage III further states that "all industrial, manufacturing, and commercial enterprises shall reduce consumption with a goal reduction of 30 percent...and document such efforts."

For more on the city's efforts, click here.

Water Conservation Tips for Employees and Students

Tavey McDaniel Capps, Duke's environmental sustainability coordinator, suggests that employees, faculty, and students implement these water conservation strategies:

• Report all leaks and drips to the Facilities Management Work Control Center at 684-2122.

• Do not use the toilet as a waste basket or ashtray.

• Store drinking water in refrigerator to avoid running the tap for cool water.

• Take 5-minute showers rather than baths.

• Turn off faucets while brushing teeth, shaving or rinsing dishes.

• Install low flow toilets and shower heads in your home.

• Wash full loads in clothes washers and dishwashers.

These are among a myriad of water conservation measures implemented at Duke long before Governor Mike Easley issued a Sept. 7 call to action, urging all North Carolina cities and counties to implement water conservation measures.

"We're doing everything we can to conserve water at Duke and making sure we comply with the Stage II voluntary conservation requirements, which Durham enacted two weeks ago," John Noonan, associate vice president for Duke's Facilities Management Department said in an interview this past Friday. "We're also making sure we're prepared in case the drought continues and Durham has to shift to Stage III mandatory conservation." (Editor's Note -- Durham implemented mandatory water conservation rules Monday. See adjoining story.)

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council on Sept. 13 issued a declaration of extreme drought for most of the state, including Durham. August shaped up to be the hottest month on record -- and one of the driest -- for the Raleigh-Durham area. In August, 30 of the 31 days reached temperatures of at least 90 degrees and the total rainfall was less than one inch in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Although the amount of water saved by watering foliage less often might seem like a drop in the bucket, Duke cut its water consumption by nearly 10 percent this summer.

From June 1 through Sept. 7, Duke used 18 million gallons less than during the same period last year, according to meter readings. This summer's water usage was nearly 178 million gallons -- down from nearly 196 million gallons last summer.

"Some of the water savings are coming from the fact that we're hooking more existing buildings up to the central chilled water plant, which is much more efficient than using the cooling towers on the tops of individual buildings," Noonan said. "That way we're losing less water from evaporation on the individual cooling towers."

At the golf course at the Washington Duke Inn, watering has been reduced to only the greens instead of the entire 120-acre course. And officials are exploring the feasibility of installing an improved irrigation system that would reduce water usage by about 50 percent.

"Instead of watering the greens once a week for 20 minutes, we're only watering them once a week for nine minutes," said Bill Sessums, a certified course specialist who oversees the golf grounds.

While cutting water usage is a Duke priority, there are some limitations.

[* See Correction below] Williams Field on East Campus is watered before practice and games to increase safety and reduce injuries.

"The good news is that the field has new turf, which is requiring about 50 percent less water than with the previous field," Noonan said. "In addition, we are investigating a method to collect and reuse the water."

James Lim, conservation coordinator the City of Durham's Department of Water Management, said Duke's water conservation efforts are commendable.

"We appreciate everything Duke and other water customers are doing to cut back on water use because it takes a concerted effort by everyone in the community," Lim said. With 30,550 employees and 12,800 students, Duke is the largest water consumer in Durham County, averaging 1.7 million gallons per day, according to Lim.

Along with small day-to-day changes to reduce water use, Duke has implemented broader initiatives designed to leave a lighter footprint on the environment. Duke's commitment to the environment, including eco-friendly development, has also lowered water consumption.

Duke's Water Usage (in gallons)

2006 2007 July 52,859,661 56,997,720 Aug. 60,994,234 48,978,404 Sept. 82,060,238 71,942,284 Total 195,914,133 177,918,408

"The new buildings going up all around campus are following the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) guidelines, and many of them include design elements that help conserve water," Noonan said.

For example, the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences (FCIEMAS), which opened in 2004, has a 70,000-gallon cistern underground to collect rainwater that is used to irrigate the nearly two-acre complex. The French Family Science Center, which opened in December, has 50 waterless urinals and low-flow lavatories that save an estimated 2 million gallons of water annually.

Duke faculty members are also assisting with water conservation by using knowledge in the service of society.

The Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions released a report Sept. 4 that identifies six long-term strategies for improving water management and conservation. The report, "The Future of Water in North Carolina: Strategies for Sustaining Abundant and Clean Water," is being presented to state officials as part of a collaborative effort between Duke, other universities and stakeholders. The report is available online here.

* This story has been changed since originially posted. The international sports agency provision for watering of the field hockey field is a recommendation not a requirement for regular season play. It is also recommended for championship tournament play.