Water

In calendar year 2010, Vanderbilt University consumed over 814 million gallons of water. That is the same amount of water consumed by about 13,463 households in Nashville.

Conserving water on campus preserves a valuable natural resource and lessens Vanderbilt’s environmental impact while saving the university thousands of dollars each year. VU is saving approximately 50 million gallons of water annually, or over 1,600,000 bathtubs, from bathroom retrofits and groundwater reuse projects completed on campus so far!

VU Plant Operations and VUMC Plant Services have been systematically retrofitting restrooms throughout the institution. In addition to water-conserving features in the newly-constructed Commons facilities, since 2007, Plant Operations has retrofitted over 500 bathroom fixtures producing annual savings of 10 million gallons of water and $67,000 on Vanderbilt’s main campus.

Continue reading to learn more about water on Vanderbilt’s campus!

• Water Conservation on Campus
• Water Drop Conservation Project
• Importance of Water
• Water and Climate Change
• Additional Water Resources

Read Metro Water Services’ 2011 Consumer Confidence Report

Water Conservation Tips

To do your part to save water:

In Residence Halls

• Wash full, rather than partial, loads of clothes;
• Take efficient showers;
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth; and
• Report water leaks and dripping faucets to your Area Maintenance Supervisor (AMS) – find your AMS and their contact information on OHARE’s website.

In Offices and Labs

• Turn off the water when it is not in use;
• Report water leaks, broken toilets, and dripping faucets; on campus contact Plant Operations (4-9675) and in the medical center contact Plant Services (2-2041); and
• Wash full, rather than partial, loads of labware, dishes, or clothes.

At Home

• Take efficient showers and install low-flow showerheads and low-flow aerators on faucets;
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth;
• Wash full, rather than partial, loads of dishes and clothes; and
• Install a rain barrel at home to use rainwater for yard and garden irrigation.