Water data

Objective O4

By 2025, reduce water intensity by 5% per square metre from a 2015 baseline

Progress: Completed

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Description: Waterloo has seen a small decrease in water use per square metre of building space through 2019. This is in contrast to numbers previously reported in 2017 and 2018. There were several corrections pending to Waterloo’s data sets that needed to be updated and reflect a slight improvement overall in water intensity. Because of the pandemic, there was a very significant drop in water intensity in 2020, far exceeding the campus target, but it is unlikely to last.

Objective O5

By 2025, expand the deployment of stormwater management technologies to targeted areas

Progress: Completed

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Description: Waterloo has several stormwater features on South Campus, North Campus, and North-West campus.

Methodology

Boundary

All campuses are included, excluding the Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo.

Methodology

Any technologies, systems, or interventions that slow down water movement, store water before it is diverted to a municipal stormwater system, or increase the permeability of paved or grass surfaces are included as a discrete instance of a stormwater management area.

These include:

  • 3 permeable pavement sites
  • 5 green roofs and/or rooftop gardens
  • 1 rainwater cistern connected to EV3
  • 3 storm ponds in the Research and Technology Park
  • 3 storm ponds in the Northwest Campus
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An accessible version of the data can be downloaded here: Water Consumption and Intensity 2025 (Excel)

Indicators

Change over time icon
0% change in water use per square metre since 2015
Grounds icon
4 new stormwater management features on campus
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0.76m^3 water use per square metre
Climate change icon
15 existing storm water management features on campus

Methodology

Boundary

All campuses. Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo provide data to include in this report for purposes of transparency, but are separate from the goals and actions of Waterloo.

Methodology

Source data was taken from annual billing for all locations.

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

2023/2024

  • Students from CIVE 583 investigated storm water management around the southeastern portion of campus. Then, the students disseminated their findings to PLAN 211 students who were tasked with re-designing these spaces, using planning theory and design programs to improve storm water management in these areas while making them more usable, versatile, and aesthetically appealing.

2022/2023

  • Over 1,500 water-efficient shower heads and 3,500 low-flow faucets were installed

2021/2022

  • A green roof was added above the food court as part of the SLC/PAC expansion project

2020/2021

  • Retrofitted the aquatic lab facility, creating significant reductions in water intensity with a more efficient circulation and filtration system

Related links

Explore more of Waterloo's progress: