20 Ways to Reduce your
Building’s Water Footprint
A Providence St. Peter Hospital
Case Study
November 18, 2011
Geoffrey Glass
Troy Aichele
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
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
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
2012 Data
Providence St. Peter Hospital (Olympia, WA): $1.22
2010-11 Water/Sewer Bill: $252,974
Providence Centralia Hospital (Centralia, WA): $1.40
2010-11 Water/Sewer Bill: $179,376
Utility Rate Trends… Utility Rate Trends
$-
$1.00
$2.00
$3.00
$4.00
$5.00
$6.00
$7.00
$8.00
$9.00
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
PeakWater$/CCFSewer$/CCF
Estimated
10%
increase
for 2009
10%
Water
Waste
Utility Rate Trend Impacts
U.S. Water Footprint
(per person/per day):
70-100 GPD
18
Increase in Waste Water Treatment
Capacities (Brightwater)
Cost: $1.84 Billion
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
New Water Sources:
Drilling New Wells
New Water Sources:
Reclaimed Purple Piping Systems
New Water Sources:
Desalination
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.
Sewer mining reduces the stress on waterways by capturing some
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.
New Water Sources:
Sewer Mining
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
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
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
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%
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%
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%
21st Century Water Auditor
Perform Facility Water Audit
Benchmarking
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000
Gallo
ns
Hospital Size (Square Feet)
Gallons Used / Square Foot / Year
Analyze Facility for Leaks
Analyze Facility for Leaks
Approximate Cost: $3,680
Approximate Water/Sewer
Savings: 900 GPD
Payback Period: 1.1 Years
Water-Cooled Ice-Makers,
Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
Equipment
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
Medical Instrument Washers
(Night Setback)
1.1/1.6 GPF Dual-Flush
Flushometer Retrofit Kits
Cost: $111
Water/Sewer Savings: 6.4 GPD
Payback Period: 4.75 Years
Pint Urinals
Cost: $1,330
Water/Sewer Savings: 27.4 GPD
Payback Period: 13.50 Years
Dual-Flush Flushometers
Cost: $644 (Including WC)
Water/Sewer Savings: 26.8 GPD
Payback Period: 6.78 Years
1.28 GPF Water Closets
High Efficiency Shower Heads
Cost: $78
Water/Sewer Savings: 10 GPD
Payback Period: 2.14 Years
Faucets – Flow Control
Cost: $65
Water/Sewer Savings: 4.0 GPD
Payback Period: 4.45 Years
Sensor Activated
Public Faucets Sensor Activated
Public Water
Closets
Maintenance Problems
None!
User Negative Feedback
None!
Irrigation (Xeriscaping) I Limit lawns to high exposure areas
Plant native landscaping material
Irrigation (Xeriscaping) II
Green Cleaning (Microfiber Mop)
Cost: $20
Water/Sewer Savings: 20 to 1
Gallons per use: 1
Payback Period: Immediate
Sustainability Coordinator
Evaluate staff water
wasting habits in
high use areas of
Sterile Processing,
Dialysis, Food
Services, and
Environmental
Services
Deduct Meters (Cooling Towers and
Irrigation Systems
Increase Cooling Tower and
Boiler Cycles of Concentration
Work closely with your water
treatment advisor to minimize
make-up water to these systems
Kitchen Equipment
Cost: $120,000
Water/Sewer Savings: 1,800 GPD
Payback Period (Water and Sewer
Only): 18.26 Years
Kitchen Equipment
Medical Equipment (Vacuum Pumps)
Approximate
Cost: $40,000
Approximate
Water/Sewer
Savings:
2,880 GPD
Approximate
Payback
Period:
3.80 Years
Specify waterless vacuum pumps (such as the Claw) or water
recycling systems for vacuum pump cooling
Medical Equipment
(Air Compressors)
Approximate Cost:
$40,000
Approximate
Water/Sewer
Savings: 2,160
GPD
Approximate
Payback Period:
4.97 Years
Medical Equipment
Waste Anesthesia Gas (WAG) Pumps
Approximate Cost:
$30,000
Approximate
Water/Sewer
Savings: 1,440 GPD
Payback Period: 5.71
Years
Other Opportunities for
Water Conservation
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Sub-Metering
• Dialysis Reject Water
• Laundry Water Reuse
• Air Handling Unit Condensate Recovery
• New Products
Lessons
Learned
Additional Stickers
Post-Installation
Flushometer Adjustments
Water
Lowering GPF without changing bowl
Fixture Footprints
are not all the same
System Shut-downs vs. Freezing
Beta-Testing
Problematic Existing Conditions
Aerators vs. Flow Control
Straying from Water Audit Recommendations
Payback Thresholds: Owner Furnished Fixtures / Equipment
Buyer Beware: Small Water Spots = More Maintenance
Dual-Flush Tank-Type
Retrofit Kits
Putting Water Efficiency
Ahead of User or Building needs
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
@WaterAuditor
…..or
• “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.
