University focuses on sustainable water with reuse facility

A water reuse facility at The University of Texas in the US will conserve water and reduce the need for energy and chemical-intensive wastewater treatment, as well ensuring annual cost savings.

Largest campus-based reuse facility in the US

The university is partnering with Canadian-based water solutions provider H20 Innovation to build what will be the largest campus-based water reuse facility in the US.

Water processing will be at the heart of the campus. The UT WaterHub will be set within the engineering quadrant of the campus, with a footprint extending to 9,600 square feet. The wastewater reclamation and reuse facility will have a daily capacity of 1 million gallons.

Based in the city of Austin, which is experiencing rapid growth and persistent drought conditions, the facility will decrease the university's dependence on water supplies from the city, resulting in annual cost savings in water purchases and water discharge fees, and helping to conserve water in a region facing scarcity concerns.

Xavier Rivera Marzán, executive director of utilities and energy management at The University of Texas, told media: “The UT WaterHub® will enable the university to be proactive, resilient and dynamic in our reclaimed and recovered water strategy − prioritising utility water conservation with auxiliary water resources − and creating a profound, best-in-class service for the university community.”

Huge savings in water and energy

The reclaimed water from the facility will be used in cooling towers and boilers, replacing the need for fresh water. By replacing fresh with reclaimed water, the university predicts the campus-wide use of potable water will be reduced by as much as 40 per cent over the course of a year.

While reducing potable water use, the facility will also reduce sewerage volumes by as much as 70 per cent. The reduced volume will be further enhanced by the use of nature-based solutions, such as plant life, and natural processes, such as gravity, both minimising the need for chemicals and other resources, but also reducing the energy required to produce the reclaimed water.

As much of the world focuses on ways of conserving water and reusing it, corporations as well as governments are seeking ways of incorporating reclamation and reuse into their water planning and strategies.

The facility is expected to operation in 2027 at a total project cost of €26.9 million, which will be funded by H2O Innovation through a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement. Under the term of the agreement, H20 Innovation will build, own and operate the facility. The university will pay for the processed water via a fixed rate escalation purchase structure over the course of a 30-year ground lease and water processing agreement.

"This new installation exemplifies our mission to revolutionize water management in institutional settings.

By combining cutting-edge technology with our innovative financing approach, we're making it easier for organisations to adopt sustainable water practices that benefit both their bottom line and the environment, paving a step forward in water positivity."

Conserving water and encouraging research

The UT WaterHub's benefits will extend beyond water reuse and cost savings. The facility will serve as a 'living laboratory' that will be used by researchers at the university to 'engage in sustainability, engineering, and operational projects'. It will allow both students and academics to study water treatment and reuse technologies in a real-world application.

The tech has the potential for use in other facilities such as hospitals, and other commercial and industrial locations.

Tech for water reclamation

The WaterHub uses an ecological treatment design that was tailored to fit the unique site, design, flow and water quality requirements of the university, resulting in the UT WaterHub. The facility also benefits from being odourless.