ABSTRACTMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WATER SUPPLY AND CONSUMPTION REPORTBYNATHAN ARNETTObtaining water supply and consumption data is the first step towards formulating a water conservation program. It is important to quantify the volume of water used, the major users, and the potential sources of losses or leaks in order to be able to target areas of need.This report quantifies and summarizes water supply and consumption on the Michigan State University (MSU) East Lansing main campus. Eleven different categories or sectors were evaluated in terms of their impact on water supply and consumption along with quantification methods. These are: Metering, Power Plant, Chilled Water, Irrigation, Research/South Campus Farms, Residence Halls, General Fund Buildings, Athletic Buildings, Water Sold by MSU, Water Bought by MSU, and a Miscellaneous category targeting flushing and unaccounted for water.Eighty-one percent (81%) of water consumption on the MSU campus can be accounted for in 5 of these sectors. The sectors along with the estimated volumes and percentages of water utilized are: the Power Plant (411,000 KGAL per year, 21%), Research/South Campus Farms (393,000 KGAL per year, 20%), Residence Halls (336,000 KGAL per year, 18%), General Fund Buildings (290,000 KGAL per year, 15%), and Chilled Water (133,333 KGAL, 7%). Fifteen percent (15%) of the water utilized on campus cannot be unaccounted for. This is believed to be due to inaccurate metering, insufficient metering (since not all buildings are metered), and leaks.
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