Water saving
Unlike many homes, water used in most of the University building is metered and so every cubic metre is charged. We also have to pay a sewerage charge so waste water costs twice over. If hot water is wasted there is still more loss as energy in the form of heat is thrown away too.
A tap dripping at the rate of one drop per second would waste:
- 4.1 litres a day (sufficient for 12 mugs of coffee)
- 1,544 litres a year (equivalent to the average personal supply for 11 days)
New buildings contain the latest water efficient devices and often include laboratory process cooling and electric vacuum pumps. When washrooms are refurbished by Estates Services, new water efficient toilets, taps and urinal flushing controls are installed.
Some of our new buildings such as Manor Road, Biochemistry and Old Road Campus Research Building, contain rain water harvesting systems which recycle rain water for WC flushing. The University Parks uses rainwater stored in large tanks for grounds watering.