Water Conservation

Water Conservation Program Implementation

In 2023, the total water consumption of National Chiayi University was 488,832 tons. The water was primarily used for teaching, experimental research, and daily necessities. Nearly all buildings have rainwater/greywater recycling systems to reduce tap water consumption. As a result, recycled water is predominantly used for watering plants, cleaning solar panels, and washing in the animal farms on campus. If the recycled water supply is insufficient, groundwater is utilized, with tap water being the last resort. The amount of water recycled and reused from wastewater generated by this type of water usage is more than 50% of water used is conserved.  The water conservation program and implementation are described as follows:

Water Conservation Program:

1. Purpose and Goals

· Effective water conservation, storage, and smart water usage and management.

· Integration of these concepts and behaviors into education and daily life practice.

2. Water Usage Audit

· All buildings have a separate sewerage system for wastewater.

· Rainwater harvesting systems are in place in most buildings, with recycled water used for various purposes, including irrigation, flushing toilets, washing vehicles, solar panels, livestock houses, utensils, and watering plants.

3. Education and Awareness

· Integration of water conservation and smart water usage into educational courses “Discovering Chiayi.”

· Collaboration with other water utilities to embed water-saving behaviors in daily life.

4. Technological and Equipment Upgrades

· Installation of digital communication modules for water meters.

· Water level detectors for water storage towers.

· Digital water meters will be installed at the water intake of each building.

· Improvement in groundwater well management.

· Efficient appliance usage - the traditional general faucet of the washstand is replaced with an automatic sensory and low-flow type faucet.   The urinal flushing in men’s and handicapped toilets is equipped with sensor flushers, and most toilets for women are equipped with a two-stage flushing device.

5. Recycling and Reuse

· 157 water towers and 11 wells on campuses.

· Rainwater is harvested, stored, and recycled for multiple uses.  The rainwater retention system can store 163 tons of rainwater. The sewage treatment plant can recycle and process 9 tons of water daily, and the reclaimed water is used to flush animal houses and water plants.  

· Flood detention ponds around the campus to collect rainwater for irrigating flowers, trees, and potential use as fire-fighting water.  There are a total of 10 detention ponds.  Nine are on the Lantan campus, and one is on the Minsyong campus.  The largest detention pond can retain up to 6,900 tons of water, while the smallest one has a retention capacity of 141 tons.

6. Policies and Regulations

· The Energy Saving Promotion Team executes the management and infrastructure establishment of water resources under the Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Management Committee. The committee meets once every semester to review all water-related issues and implemented measures. The committee is composed of administrative and primary supervisors.  All resolved matters will be brought up in the university council meeting. After approval by the university council members, they will be announced and implemented.  The Energy Conservation Promotion Team is also responsible for drafting plans and seeking related projects.

· The university has established a water resource management system.

· The approach involves analyzing water usage, improving water-saving facilities, and eliminating the risk of water leakage.

· The concept of water balance is adopted for effective management.

In 2021, Chiayi University created a project, “Building of smart water resource management and innovative water-saving technology,” and received a subsidy from the Water Resources Agency. From 2022 to 2023, we have installed 88 smart water meters and 3 water pressure meters on the Lantan Campus. Furthermore, an intelligent water resource management platform has been established. Through the water balance concept, this platform monitors the campus water resource system. The system can immediately alert administrators to anomalies, such as leaks, through mobile app and line notifications. This allows administrators to take action immediately.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation

· The university aims to use and cherish water resources wisely by managing and controlling water.

· Ongoing assessment of water usage and continual improvements.

Using the smart water resource management platform, users can obtain water usage data from various units and analyze the overall water consumption situation. This serves as a basis for on-campus water resource management and helps formulate strategies.

Implementation of Water Conservation Program:

1. Organizational Structure and Responsibilities

· The university is central in overseeing water conservation efforts and ensuring effective implementation.

The University has established an energy-saving management committee comprising various administrative and academic heads. Under this committee, there is an energy-saving promotion team. The energy-saving promotion team oversees matters and the execution of plans related to energy conservation, carbon reduction, and water resource protection.

2. Budget and Resources

· Funds allocated for installing rainwater harvesting systems, digital communication modules, and water level detectors.

Regarding water resource protection and management, the University established an energy-saving promotion team to draft plans and seek funding subsidies. The total subsidy amount in 2023 was 350,000 USD.

3. Training and Technical Support

· Emphasis on integrating water conservation into the educational curriculum.

· Collaboration with external water utilities for knowledge exchange and support.

We have formed alliances with National Sun Yat-sen University, National Cheng Kung University, Yunlin University of Science and Technology, and the Taipei Water Department. We regularly hold seminars to exchange knowledge and techniques about energy conservation, carbon reduction, and water resources.

4. Communication, Evaluation and Revision

· Regular updates and feedback mechanisms in place to ensure adequate water management.

· Periodic review of the program's effectiveness and necessary revisions to ensure optimal water conservation.

The energy-saving promotion team meets once every semester. They present reports on energy and water conservation related topics and review the data and costs of water and electricity usage to optimize the implementation strategy for the coming year.

5. Enhance Education

The University launched a general micro-credit course called “Discovering Chiayi.” Within it, on-campus renewable energy, water resources and ecological environment subjects were also separately introduced as micro-credit courses. This allows students to gain a hands-on understanding of the University's renewable energy and water resource facilities and its ecological environment. This integration brings the spirit of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) from the curriculum into daily life.