April Showers Bring Commencement Flowers

Although the city of Durham has eased water restrictions to allow some irrigation, Duke doesn't plan to open the floodgates.

Duke will not use drinking (potable) water for outdoor irrigation and plans to continue conservation efforts that have resulted in substantial water savings, according to Duke facilities officials.

"We're determined to continue conserving as much water as possible," said John Noonan, associate vice president for Duke's Facilities Management Department (FMD).

Although conservation remains a priority, Noonan said, the Duke community may see some slight changes on campus.

For example, Duke grounds crews this month will continue the annual tradition of planting seasonal flowers to spruce up campus for commencement. The flowers will be watered with storm water from underground cisterns, retention ponds on campus and with city reclaimed water.

In another adjustment, some Duke Dining facilities such as the Great Hall and the Marketplace, which switched to disposable plates and cups during the drought, are returning to regular dinnerware to reduce waste.

Duke's water conservation efforts are proving effective.

Duke is tracking its water reduction using two baselines: daily and year-to-date consumption.

Duke's daily water use in most campus areas dropped from just more than 2 million gallons per day in August to approximately 500,000 gallons per day in February -- a reduction of more than 70 percent. That data is based on meter readings for about 90 percent of Duke's total square footage.

Watering Athletic Fields

Duke plans to use reclaimed water from the North Durham Water Reclamation Facility to water select plants on campus and to irrigate athletic fields to enhance safety.

Reclaimed water is non-potable water that has been disinfected and meets state water quality standards. 

The athletic fields that will be watered are:

• Wallace Wade Stadium
• Infield at Jack Coombs Field (baseball field) on West Campus
• Field 4 on West Campus
• Field 5 on Cameron Boulevard (751)
• Football practice field on West Campus
• Koskinen Stadium

Based on the year-to-date tracking, Duke reduced water consumption in most campus areas by nearly 28 percent between June 2007 and February 2008 compared to the same period in 2006-07.

"A good portion of savings for both baselines are in fact cyclical and due in part to behavioral changes, conservation projects and operational adjustments on campus," Noonan said.

As part of Duke's latest conservation initiative, FMD will soon begin trucking in reclaimed water from the North Durham Water Reclamation Facility. Reclaimed water will be used at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and on select athletic fields to enhance safety. Reclaimed water is non-potable water that has been treated and meets state water quality standards. Durham recently began offering the water at no cost to certified customers. City officials say reclaimed water can be used safely in irrigation, street cleaning, dust control, concrete production, decorative ponds and soil compaction. It may not be used for drinking, cooking, bathing, filling pools or watering edible plants.

From Arizona to Florida, the use of reclaimed water is growing in popularity as a wise way to conserve natural resources. In Arizona, for example, the city of Tucson has provided reclaimed water for 20 years to water landscaping at locations such as golf courses, parks and schools, including the University of Arizona and Pima Community College.

At Duke, a used tanker truck has been purchased to transport reclaimed water, and FMD employees will soon undergo training on proper procedures for transporting and using the water.

Making wise use of reclaimed water was among the recommendations presented to Durham officials in November by Bill Holman, director of state policy at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.

"Reclaimed water is a great resource for irrigation and other non-potable purposes," Holman said this week.

Continued conservation is key, Holman said, especially since water usage typically rises in spring and summer with activities such as gardening and washing cars. Plus, warm weather increases evaporation, which reduces lake levels.

"We all need to keep in mind that the lakes were full at this time last year," Holman said.

"Water conservation is a lifelong commitment we all need to make."

More Low-Flow Showerheads Available April 18

Want to help save water? Duke employees and off-campus students can pickupfree low-flow showerheads at the Duke Farmers Market off Coal Pile Drive from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 18 and during Duke's Earth Day fair on the West Campus Plaza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 22. Don't forget to bring your valid DukeCard. Each cardholder is entitled to one showerhead while supplies last.