At UCSF, water conservation efforts over many years have saved significant amounts of water, with UCSF having achieved a 58% reduction, factored by campus population, from the UC systemwide baseline. We are now working on larger projects focused on water recycling and stormwater collection and re-use.
The UCSF Water Working Group collaborates on water conservation at UCSF and supports systemwide water conservation and water recycling through the UC Water Working Group. At UCSF, we take drought very seriously. To mitigate its impact on our mission of supporting education, research, health, and community, we have taken many actions to conserve water.
Water Conservation at UCSF
• At the Parnassus Central Utility Plant, purified water reject is recycled for use as cooling tower make-up
• Steam systems minimize water and energy consumption, with new projects in progress
• All restrooms have high-efficiency fixtures.
• Facilities offers installation of faucet 1.5gpm laminar flow restrictors to all research laboratories
• Buildings are being washed with recycled water
• Housing has retrofit all showerheads and faucets with low-flow devices
• Fitness encourages members to take 3-minute showers
• Lawn irrigation has been turned down for recreational outdoor space, with irrigation turned off to non-recreational lawns
• Landscape areas have been replanted with drought tolerant vegetation, and irrigation has been upgraded to high-efficiency drip irrigation
• UCSF is developing feasibility studies analyzing water recycling and stormwater collection opportunities
• Block 34, under construction now, has been designed with a unique cooling system that does not require cooling towers, eliminating 100% of HVAC system water use
• Health recently completed water efficiency audits of Moffitt, Long, ACC, and Mt. Zion Hospital, and is preparing to implement water reduction recommendations
• Mission Bay Hospital uses recycled water for irrigation of landscaping
What You Can Do At UCSF
• Report water leaks on Campus to Facilities Customer Service, 415-476-2021
• Report water leaks or overuse in hospitals and clinics to UCSF Health Facilities & Support Services by submitting a work order
• Minimize your personal water use
• Contact the Facilities Energy & Water team to discuss conservation measures you can take in research operations. Contact Eli Perszyk at Eliahu.Perszyk@ucsf.edu.
Water Conservation in Laboratories
UCSF water conservation efforts have achieved a 58% reduction from the UC systemwide baseline.
