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.

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.

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An accessible version of the data can be downloaded here: 2023 Water Consumption and Intensity (Excel)

Indicators

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-5% change in water use per square metre since 2015
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0.71m^3 water use per square metre

Actions and accomplishments

2024

  • Chemical Engineering recently completed a retrofit in DWE to replace outdated and inefficient deionized water system with a newer reverse- osmosis system. The retrofit significantly reduces the amount of chemicals and management needed, while providing quality outputs for teaching and research. The system will also be used as a teaching tool to educate more than 650 students on sustainable lab practices.

2022

  • Waterloo initiated a project to install faucet aerators on most sinks across campus and retrofit showerheads in Campus Housing to lower-flow fixtures

2020

  • The Faculty of Science retrofitted the aquatic lab facility, creating significant reductions in water intensity with a more efficient circulation and filtration system

Objective O5

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

Progress: Mostly complete

Three-quarter filled circle, mostly complete objective

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

Indicators

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4 new stormwater management features on campus
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15 existing stormwater management features on campus

Actions and accomplishments

Related links

Explore more of Waterloo's progress: