CWU To Save More Than 10 Million Gallons Of Water

April 15, 2005

Contact: Mark Anderson (509-963-1493/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: andemark@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - In response to one of the state's worst drought in decades, Central Washington University today announced plans to reduce watering around its Ellensburg campus, saving more than 10 million gallons of water during the course of the summer.

"Central Washington University recognizes that the current drought situation is critical, especially for our agricultural neighbors in the Kittitas Valley," CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre says. "We want to do our part to conserve the water that is available."

CWU, which last year received Gov. Gary Locke's award for energy management, has created irrigation zones around its campus and will cut back its irrigation from 10 to 15 percent a week in each of these zones.

"It's important for us to be responsible public stewards," notes Richard Corona, CWU vice president of business and financial affairs. "We've actually been active in reducing water consumption for the last several years. This is an ongoing effort that helps the valley as a whole by conserving our limited and precious resources."

Last year, the university modified the water feature in its Japanese Garden to circulate existing water instead of drawing new water, resulting in a savings of over three million gallons. Another significant measure included replacing sprinkler systems with drip irrigation systems. A common drip emitter produces a flow of 1 gallon per hour. In comparison, a typical shrub irrigation head produced up to 3.5 gallons per minute.

Additional examples of Central's ongoing water conservation efforts include replacing grasses and water-loving plants with vegetation requiring less water; monitoring and improving irrigation system efficiency ensuring plant needs are met without over watering; and acting quickly to discover and repair leaks.

Central will continue to monitor campus water use and take additional conservation measures as necessary.