University makes 'Top-Five' water savers

Nov 27, 2003

Sydney Water has named the University of Wollongong as one of the "Top-Five" water conservation performers for 2002-2003 and will acknowledge UOW's efforts at an award presentation to be held tomorrow (Friday 28 November) at the University.

It will be the second major award to the University's Buildings & Grounds Division in less than a week. The Minister for Energy and Utilities, The Hon Frank Sartor MP, presented a Silver Energy Smart Business award to UOW at the Energy Smart Green Globe Awards held at Parliament House on November 25.

UOW won the award by implementing a large number of energy efficient projects across its properties which is now saving the University $220,548 a year on bills while reducing 2,647 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. The award noted that this was the same as eliminating the emissions from 588 cars each year.

Chris Hewitt, Manager Maintenance and Energy, received the award on behalf of the University and tomorrow Tony Johnson, the Assistant Director of Buildings & Grounds, will receive the latest award from the Program Director for Water Conservation and Recycling at Sydney Water, Mr John Nieuwland.

The other four performers named in the "Top-Five" water savers are Arnott's Snack Foods, AMP Henderson Global Investors, the Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club and Fawcett Brothers.

Sydney Water has been running a special program called 'Every Drop Counts' and UOW became a partner in the scheme in 2000. It involved Buildings & Grounds staff at the University closely monitoring all the water flows around the University.

UOW now saves up to 10 million litres of water a year following initially a water usage audit. Overall, water consumption has been reduced by 40 per cent per full-time student with savings of $140,000 a year. Water usage in such areas as bathrooms and toilets was reduced through an upgrade of 30 cyclic flushing systems to a sensor-driven alternative that provided water on demand.

All departments on campus then participated in an audit to see generally how water was used across the campus.

Award presentation time: 1pm, Friday November 28

Venue: Vice-Chancellor's Dining Room, 2nd floor, McKinnon Building (Bldg 67).

For further information contact Mr Tony Johnson on 4221 4963.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128