Water Use
The University of Pittsburgh strives for responsible consumption of both potable and nonpotable water on-campus. Specific Pitt Sustainability Plan goals include:
- Strive toward a water neutral campus, with a 3% reduction in water use by 2020 from 2017 baseline. (Achieved in 2020!)
- Embrace Pittsburgh 2030 District goals of 50% reduction below the district average in water use intensity (consumption per square foot) by 2030 and establish design standards and operational practices to achieve them.
Low flow plumbing fixtures are installed and being upgraded across campus in support of Pitt’s goal to reduce water use intensity 50% by 2030.
First released in 2021, the Water Use Intensity Dashboard below showcases Pitt’s building water use intensity and performance at both the building and Pittsburgh campus scales, while simultaneously selecting variable time frames through which to review data and results.
Contextual baselines and goals are also provided campus-wide and for each building, reflecting Pitt’s commitment to goals of 50% reductions in water use intensity (gallons per square foot) by 2030 (below regional baselines).
Water Quality
The University of Pittsburgh is committed to a safe and healthy campus, including ensuring clean drinking water for everyone in the community. Pitt’s Environmental Health and Safety department regularly tests drinking water on campus to verify water quality. The University follows national testing protocols and uses a third-party laboratory for drinking water testing.
Concerns about campus water quality should be reported via the Department of Environmental Health and Safety’s concern reporting form.
History & Details
Given local challenges with lead service lines, the University initially tested water in all Pittsburgh campus buildings for lead in 2017. All campus buildings are tested on regular cycles for lead, with most sampled locations being below 5 ppb; none exceed the U.S. standard of 15 ppb.
Pitt also proactively installed systems that effectively control legionella bacteria in more than 20 residence halls. These systems continuously monitor water quality. Pitt performs additional testing for legionella on an annual basis.
Learn more from Pitt Facilities
Stormwater
With climate change heavier and more frequent storms are hitting our region. These intense rains are overwhelming our current infrastructure making stormwater management a growing concern throughout Pittsburgh.
Pitt is dedicated to stormwater management practices to help protect our local water ways from sewage overflows and preventing flooding. By 2030 Pitt will reduce impervious surfaces by 20% from 2017 baseline and divert 25% of stormwater from remaining surfaces to rain gardens, bioswales, or rainwater harvesting tanks.
What is Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)?
Pittsburgh has a combined sewer system which collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industry wastewater into a single pipe. When heavy rainfalls occur the volume of water can overwhelm the system causing untreated stromwater and wastewater to bypass treatment plants and be discharged directly into waterways.
Source: rvah2o.org
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Pitt is dedicated to growing green stormwater infrastructure on campus. Pitt has 9 rain gardens and 9 green roofs on campus that detain and absorb excess rainwater, enabling it to naturally infiltrate into and nourish the soil, while helping mitigate Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) issues.
Rain Gardens
- Bigelow Boulevard – features a series of rain gardens.
- Cathedral Rain Garden – Is very visible, located on the Cathedral lawn between Heinz Chapel and the log cabin.
- Petersen Events Center Rain Garden – Includes 4 rain gardens, 1 of which was the University’s first rain garden which came to fruition form ideas initiated by students; it now also hosts a solitary bee house.
- Salk Hall Annex Rain Gardens (2)
- Sutherland Hall Rain Garden
Green Roofs
- Green Roofs: Benedum Hall and Falk School
- Pollinator Patios: Barco Law, Hillman Library, Nordenberg Hall, and Posvar Hall
- Partial Roof Plantings: Forbes Hall, Posvar Hall, Schenley Quad
Rainwater Reuse
The University of Pittsburgh’s draft stormwater master plan is complete and under internal review. This plan identifies major rainwater capture, storage, and reuse initiatives.
Stormwater Reuse
A large cross-campus rainwater capture and reuse system is in various stages of design and construction, anticipated to capture and reuse treated rainwater as for make-up water at our central utility plants.
The first phase of the multi-phase stormwater improvement plan is under construction as part of the new Upper Campus Chilled Water Plant project. Additional Posvar Chilled Water Plant upgrades will address the plan’s second phase by installing an underground stormwater collection tank and stormwater distribution piping that will connect to piping under Bigelow Bouelvard for a campus-wide stormwater reuse network.
Given the City of Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) system (which is under consent decree with the U.S. EPA), the new Pitt system will lessen the regional burden on both the CSO system and local potable water infrastructure.
Aquifer Water
Since 2001, the University of Pittsburgh has also used underground aquifer water (tapped into during the construction of Sennott Square) to water planted areas and hanging baskets around campus that require irrigation. in 2001, and designers took advantage of this by installing an access point to collect the water for use on campus. This Pittsburgh aquifer runs from Herron Hill to Schenley Park; the use of this untreated water to help sustain ecological systems reduces the amount of municipal water consumed and has a lower impact on the environment.