Water Use and Water Conservation at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and on Oahu, Hawaii

Abstract

Water use and conservation at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and on Oahu, Hawaii Marissa Daniels, May 5th, 2004, University of Hawaii at Manoa. A limited supply of freshwater on Oahu, Hawaii has sparked interest statewide in water conservation measures. The University of Hawaii at Manoa, the largest public research institution in the state, has acknowledged its role as a leader in sustainable practices and technologies for not only Hawaii, but also the Pacific Region. I investigated how the university can lead by example in the conservation of freshwater. Based on the number of fixtures on campus and the total water meter readings, I estimated the amount of water that is used on campus for irrigation plus leaks. Only 25% of the water that flows into university owned pipes on campus is used in buildings. An estimated 814 thousand gallons of freshwater are used daily on campus for irrigation and are lost through leaks. For the University of Hawaii at Manoa to become a leader in water conservation statewide, or otherwise, the university must first undergo a large scale water audit to determine exactly where and how much water is used on campus. Then using this information the university must develop and implement a large scale water conservation plan.