Water scarcity is one of the most important problems in Northern Cyprus. In 2015, Cyprus Water Supply Project, which includes water transportation from Turkey to Northern Cyprus, was brought to life in an effort to solve this problem. 75 million cubic meters of water is being supplied to Northern Cyprus per year as a result of this project. Even with this one-of-a-kindproject including the installation of 80 km of pipeline under the Mediterranean Sea, water shortage is still a major problem on the island.
The aim of the Water Conservation Program applied on the campus of the European University of Lefke (EUL) is to reduce water consumption and enrich water resources throughout the campus.
Increasing Awareness of EUL Community
We, as the European University of Lefke, believe raising awareness and informing the community is the key to a successful water conservation program and are following the concept of “Less is more” by increasing the awareness to simple actions, which would help us make major differences in our University’s water consumption campus buildings and residence halls.The simple actions that can play a major role in decreasing the water consumption and our staff and students are made aware of include:
– Limit the time spent in the shower
Try to keep showering time shorter than usual. Spending a minute less in the shower can save up to 10 L of water each time you get a shower.
– Use dishwasher instead of handwashing
Handwashing the dishes results in excessive water consumption when it is compared with dishwashing machines. Running a faucet to run for five minutes can result in a consumption of 50 L of water.
– Use dishwasher and laundry machines only when they are full
Operating dishwashing or laundry machines when they are full have a potential of a water-saving of 400 L (dishwashing machine) per year for a person. Considering the number of residents living on campus at residence halls, this simple precaution can make a remarkable impact.
v Report leaks to the campus administration immediately
We should remember that water is a very valuable resource and that we cannot tolerate a single drop that is wasted. Additionally, water leakages can also cause serious damage to the buildings.
– Use refillable water bottles in order to prevent the use of plastic cups.
Refillable bottles have been distributed to the students at one of the residence halls as a pilot project. Refillable water bottles will decrease water need and provide better quality potable water for the users.
– Water conservation project competitions are organized in order to increase the awareness of students on campus and to learn students’ perspectives on the matter as one of the most important stakeholders of the university.
– Activities are organized by student clubs where brochures are distributed to increase awareness.
– Organize seminars given by invited speakers and related faculty members about the issue.
Water Reuse
University’s biological wastewater treatment plant treats domestic wastewater fed from the buildings and dormitories that are found on the campus. Treated water is used for landscape irrigation. 30% amount of the water need on campus for irrigation is met by reclaimed water.
Systems including grey water reuse and rainwater harvesting are being designed to reduce the water consumption in the dormitories and academic buildings by reusing grey water and rainwater for toilet flushing. Design and feasibility studies for a combined system of both rainwater and grey water collection in a common storage tank are being carried out.
Irrigation and Landscaping
Drip irrigation is used to reduce water consumption throughout the campus. Also, our university has a research farm where various fruits are planted. Drip irrigation is used throughout the field to reduce water consumption. Water that is used for irrigation is withdrawn from the well at the farming area. Irrigation time is also selected as early morning to avoid evaporation. Preparations on smart irrigation systems are also ongoing.
Shifting to drought-resistant plants for landscaping has started on the campus. This can save a remarkable amount of water since they don’t require watering as much and as frequent as the other plants.
Water Consumption in Public Toilettes and Bathrooms
Considering the indoor water consumption, sanitary areas are the largest consumers. Besides encouraging the residents to use less water, our university has taken action to reduce water consumption. These precautions can be listed as:
Water-Free Urinals
Urinals in the common areas are exchanged with water-free models. Similarly, toilets in the new buildings are also built with water-free urinals. Water-free urinals are expected to save around 15,000 cubic meters of water per academic year.
Dual Flush Toilets
Toilets in the common areas are exchanged with dual flush models. Dual flush toilets have two options for flushing (higher volume or lower volume flash). Using appropriate amounts of water for flushing can also reduce a considerable amount of water consumption.
Water-Efficient Fittings
Besides using water-conserving equipment in newly constructed buildings, water-efficient fittings have been implemented to the existing showerheads and faucets that are used all around the campus.
Low Flow Faucets, Showerheads, and Toilettes
We started using low-flow showerheads and faucets in campus buildings and dormitories in order to reduce water consumption. These new products in showers and faucets can reduce water consumption up to 20% without sacrificing the performance of standard showerheads or faucets.
Metering and Leakage Control
Water consumption on campus is being measured on point in order to pinpoint the areas that need to be addressed first. In an effort to monitor water consumption in detail, a separate meter is usedfor each building and residence hall. Besides obtaining data for determining conservation measures, metering makes sure that occupants understand the extent of their consumption.
Automatic leakage detection systems that can monitor water leaks 24/7 indoors and outdoors will be implemented. With automatic detection systems response time will decrease and water savings will increase.
Water Conservation Committee
The committee is made up of a water conservation working group that includes representatives from academia, industry, and professional volunteers. Workshops are being organized every semester for students by the water conservation committee to increase awareness related to water sustainability.