University Campuses and Water Savings: A Step Towards Sustainability.
University campuses are major consumers of water, with thousands of students, faculty, and staff relying on campus facilities daily. As sustainability becomes a priority for educational institutions, many are seeking innovative ways to reduce water consumption while maintaining the high standards of service required in these busy environments.
One of our most successful projects took place at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus, where we undertook a large-scale plumbing upgrade. This project involved replacing aging fixtures with water-efficient low-flow toilets and installing aerators on bathroom and kitchen faucets throughout the campus residence buildings. The goal was to reduce water consumption while ensuring the plumbing systems could handle the high usage demands typical of a university campus.
The results of this project were impressive. New low-flow toilets not only provided substantial water savings but also helped reduce toilet clogs by 45%. This reduction in clogs minimized maintenance disruptions and improved the overall user experience for students living on campus. The installation process was efficient, with over 25 bathrooms completed per day, ensuring minimal disruption to campus life.
An additional post secondary water conservation project delivered a 62% water savings at Foundry 1805, in Oshawa. This retrofit project combined the implementation of 3 litre Proficiency toilets with Evolve Smart Shower Systems to tackle wasteful student shower behaviours. This project exceeded water savings by more then 20% with additional reductions assumed to have been generated by Evolve unit. Combining technologies offered this customer complete capital recuperation in less than 1 year.
These projects highlight how universities can make a meaningful impact on sustainability through simple yet effective upgrades. By investing in water-efficient fixtures, campuses can reduce water consumption, lower utility bills, and contribute to their broader environmental goals—without sacrificing performance or student satisfaction. Water Matrix products and programs have been used at 25+ campuses and student housing sites across Canada, including:
- University of Toronto - Humber College - University of Laurier
- Metropolitan University - University of Ottawa - Canadian Student Living
- University of Waterloo - Acadia University - Kingston Student Housing
Want to find out how much water your student housing site can save. Book a free water usage analysis and onsite audit with the Water Matrix team. We can show you what’s possible with no risk. We look forward to hearing from you!
P: 1-800-668-4420