Top 20 ways to reduc

1. 20 Ways to Reduce your
Building’s Water Footprint
A Providence St. Peter Hospital
Case Study
November 18, 2011
Geoffrey Glass
Troy Aichele

2. Objectives
Learn 20 strategies to conserve water and
reduce water related energy consumption
from 10 years of experience from
Providence St. Peter Hospital
Learn general payback/return on water
efficiency investments performed
Learn how to translate these savings at
other healthcare facilities

8. Cost of Water and Sewer / 100
Gallons (2009 Case Study)
Olympia, WA: $1.00
Water and Sewer bill: $230,725
Olympia, WA: $1.00
San Diego, CA: $1.38
Boston, MA: $1.05
El Paso, TX: $0.60
Omaha, NE: $0.53
Geneva, Switzerland: $1.95
Glasgow, UK: $2.86
Las Vegas, NV: $0.80
Source: “The World’s Water 2008-2009” by Peter H. Gleick

9. Cost of Water and Sewer / 100
Gallons (2009 Case Study)
Olympia, WA: $1.00
Water and Sewer bill: $230,725
Olympia, WA: $1.00
San Diego, CA: $1.38
Boston, MA: $1.05 2012 Data
El Paso, TX: $0.60
Providence St. Peter Hospital (Olympia, WA): $1.22
Omaha, NE: $0.53
2010-11 Water/Sewer Bill: $252,974
Geneva, Switzerland: $1.95
Glasgow, UK: $2.86
Providence Centralia Hospital (Centralia, WA): $1.40
Las Vegas, NV: $0.80
2010-11 Water/Sewer Bill: $179,376
Source: “The World’s Water 2008-2009” by Peter H. Gleick

11. Utility Rate Trends…
Utility Rate Trends Estimated
10%
$9.00 10%
increase
for 2009
$8.00
$7.00
$6.00
$5.00
$4.00
$3.00
$2.00
Peak
$1.00 Water
Water
$/CCF
Sewer
Waste
$- $/CCF
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year

13. Utility Rate Trend Impacts

14. U.S. Water Footprint
(per person/per day):
70-100 GPD

15. 18

16. Increase in Waste Water Treatment
Capacities (Brightwater)
Cost: $1.84 Billion

17. Drought / Overuse
The U.S. EPA reports at least 36 states are anticipating local,
regional or statewide water shortages by 2013—even under
non-drought conditions

21. New Water Sources:
Drilling New Wells

23. New Water Sources:
Reclaimed Purple Piping Systems

24. New Water Sources:
Desalination

25. Sewer mining is the process of tapping into a sewer (either before
or after the sewage treatment plant) and extracting sewage, which
is then treated and used as recycled water. Some sewer mining
by-products may be acceptable for return to the sewerage system.
Recycled water is treated so it’s safe to use. Recycled water
produced from a sewer mining operation is commonly used to
irrigate sports fields, parks and golf courses. It can also be used in
some commercial buildings and industrial sites.
New Water Sources:
Sewer mining reduces the stress on waterways by capturing some
Sewer Mining
of the nutrients that would otherwise be discharged from sewage
treatment plants. The demand for drinking water can be
significantly reduced, by replacing it with recycled water made
available through sewer mining processes.

30. 340 Licensed Bed
Acute Care Facility
750,000 SF Total Floor
Space
2300 Employees
723 Fixture upgrades
were performed in the
first 3 months of 2009

31. Providence St. Peter Hospital
Water Consumption 2008-2009
Water consumption in
2009 was 3,391,000
gallons less than in
2008
Meanwhile…..
Patient census
increased 4.2% in 2009

32. Providence St. Peter Hospital
Water and Sewer Usage
(1998-2009)
PSPH has reduced their
water consumption or
avoided water use 59%
(over 31 Million gallons
conserved)
Campus grew 17%
Patient Days have increased
22% within last 5 years
Water and Sewer Cost
Savings: $139,539/ year
Total Accumulated 11-Year
Savings = $1,534,933

33. 2008/09 Water Consumption
Comparison (Per 1000 Gallons)
Month 2009 2008 Change
January 2,278 2,712 -16.00%
February 2,244 2,470 -9.15%
March 2,431 2,691 -9.66%
April 2,248 2,672 -15.85%
May 2,688 3,094 -13.14%
June 2,874 3,272 -12.16%
Totals: 14,766 16,914 -12.70%

34. 2008/09 Water Consumption
Comparison (Per 1000 Gallons)
Month 2009 2008 Change
July 3,227 3,610 -10.6%
August 3,181 3,480 -8.59%
September 2,814 3,058 -7.97%
October 2,517 2,599 -3.16%
November 2,256 2,400 -6.02%
December 2,276 2,421 -5.96 %
Totals: 16,321 17,568 -7.1%

35. 1998 – 2009 Water Savings
(Per 1000 Gallons)
Years Start End Change
1998 – 2000 62,203 53,652 -13.7%
2000 – 2002 53,652 47,109 -12.1%
2002 – 2004 47,109 39,098 -17.0%
2004 – 2006 39,098 33,329 -14.8%
2006 – 2008 33,329 34,498 +3.50%
2008 – 2009 34,498 31,034 -10.0%
Totals: 269,889 238,720 -11.5%

37. 21st Century Water Auditor
Perform Facility Water Audit

38. Benchmarking
120
100
80
Gallons
60
Gallons Used / Square
Foot / Year
40
20
0
0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000
Hospital Size (Square Feet)

39. Analyze Facility for Leaks

40. Analyze Facility for Leaks

41. Water-Cooled Ice-Makers,
Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
Equipment
Approximate Cost: $3,680
Approximate Water/Sewer
Savings: 900 GPD
Payback Period: 1.1 Years

42. Vacuum Sterilizers
Retrofit Four existing vacuum sterilizers. Removed orifice venturi
and replaced with electric vacuum pumps and piped condensate to
receiver and pumped back to boiler plant
Cost: $30,232
Water/Sewer Savings: 4,320 GPD
Payback Period: 1.9 Years

43. Medical Instrument Washers
(Night Setback)

44. 1.1/1.6 GPF Dual-Flush
Flushometer Retrofit Kits
Cost: $111
Water/Sewer Savings: 6.4 GPD
Payback Period: 4.75 Years

45. Pint Urinals
Cost: $1,330
Water/Sewer Savings: 27.4 GPD
Payback Period: 13.50 Years

47. Dual-Flush Flushometers
Cost: $644 (Including WC)
Water/Sewer Savings: 26.8 GPD
Payback Period: 6.78 Years

48. 1.28 GPF Water Closets

49. High Efficiency Shower Heads
Cost: $78
Water/Sewer Savings: 10 GPD
Payback Period: 2.14 Years

50. Faucets – Flow Control
Cost: $65
Water/Sewer Savings: 4.0 GPD
Payback Period: 4.45 Years

51. Sensor Activated Sensor Activated
Public Faucets Public Water
Closets

52. Maintenance Problems
None!

53. User Negative Feedback
None!

54. Irrigation (Xeriscaping) I
Limit lawns to high exposure areas
Plant native landscaping material

55. Irrigation (Xeriscaping) II

56. Green Cleaning (Microfiber Mop)
Cost: $20
Water/Sewer Savings: 20 to 1
Gallons per use: 1
Payback Period: Immediate

57. Sustainability Coordinator
Evaluate staff water
wasting habits in
high use areas of
Sterile Processing,
Dialysis, Food
Services, and
Environmental
Services

58. Deduct Meters (Cooling Towers and
Irrigation Systems

59. Increase Cooling Tower and
Boiler Cycles of Concentration
Work closely with your water
treatment advisor to minimize
make-up water to these systems

60. Kitchen Equipment
Cost: $120,000
Water/Sewer Savings: 1,800 GPD
Payback Period (Water and Sewer
Only): 18.26 Years

61. Kitchen Equipment

62. Medical Equipment (Vacuum Pumps)
Specify waterless vacuum pumps (such as the Claw) or water
recycling systems for vacuum pump cooling
Approximate
Cost: $40,000
Approximate
Water/Sewer
Savings:
2,880 GPD
Approximate
Payback
Period:
3.80 Years

63. Medical Equipment
(Air Compressors)
Approximate Cost:
$40,000
Approximate
Water/Sewer
Savings: 2,160
GPD
Approximate
Payback Period:
4.97 Years

64. Medical Equipment
Waste Anesthesia Gas (WAG) Pumps
Approximate Cost:
$30,000
Approximate
Water/Sewer
Savings: 1,440 GPD
Payback Period: 5.71
Years

66. Other Opportunities for
Water Conservation
• Rainwater
Harvesting
• Sub-Metering
• Dialysis Reject
Water
• Laundry Water
Reuse
• Air Handling Unit
Condensate
Recovery
• New Products

69. Lessons
Learned

70. Additional Stickers

71. Post-Installation
Flushometer Adjustments

72. Water

73. Lowering GPF without
changing bowl

74. Fixture Footprints
are not all the same

75. System Shut-downs vs. Freezing

76. Beta-Testing

77. Problematic Existing Conditions

78. Aerators vs. Flow Control

79. Straying from Water Audit
Recommendations

81. Payback Thresholds: Owner
Furnished Fixtures / Equipment

83. Buyer Beware: Small Water Spots =
More Maintenance

84. Dual-Flush Tank-Type
Retrofit Kits

85. Putting Water Efficiency
Ahead of User or Building needs

86. Additional References
• “Water Use and Conservation” by Amy Vickers
• “Dry Run – Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis” by
Jerry Yudelson
• “Every Drop for Sale” by Jeffrey Rothfeder
• “The World’s Water….” Bi-Annual Series 1998 – Present
by Peter H. Gleick
• “Globalization of Water” by Arjen Y. Hoekstra and Ashok
K. Chapagain
• www.waterefficiency.net
• www.watersmartinnovations.com
161

87. @WaterAuditor
…..or

88. • “Providence Health & Services has two
patients, the medical patient and earth.
To heal one without the other will not
last”.
 Janine Benyus, Author, Biomimicry-Innovation Inspired by
Nature in conversation with Richard Beam, Director of Energy
Management Services for Providence at the 2005 Inland NW
Sustainability Conference, Boise, ID.