Water usage and care: water-conscious building standards

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is dedicated to implementing water-conscious building standards to minimise water usage across its campuses. This commitment is evident through the university’s policies, infrastructure projects, and adherence to national and municipal building regulations.

Policy Framework

UJ’s approach to sustainable water management is guided by the Energy, Resource, Waste, and Sustainability (ERWSus) Policy. Established in 2022, this policy outlines the university’s dedication to responsible resource utilisation, including water conservation. The policy undergoes regular reviews to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness, with the next review scheduled for 2023. 

Complementing the ERWSus Policy, the UJ Campuses Maintenance Policy and Procedure Manual mandates compliance with the South African National Building Standards and the City of Johannesburg Building Standards. This ensures that all university buildings meet or exceed the required safety and environmental regulations. The manual emphasises that in cases where multiple standards apply, the more stringent standard is adopted to uphold the highest level of compliance. 

Infrastructure Initiatives

UJ has undertaken several projects aimed at reducing water consumption:

• Installation of Water-Efficient Fixtures: The university has achieved a 95% installation rate of water-restricting showerheads in student residences. Additionally, all new residences are equipped with low-flow fixtures to further minimise water usage.
• Grey Water Recycling Systems: In 2023, UJ implemented its first grey water trial system on the Auckland Park Bunting Road (APB) Campus, targeting two large residences. This system is projected to conserve over 4 million litres of water annually by repurposing water from showers and sinks for non-potable uses. 

Adherence to Building Standards

UJ ensures that all construction and maintenance activities align with the South African National Standards (SANS) for water supply and drainage in buildings. This adherence guarantees that water-conscious practices are integrated into the design, construction, and operation of university facilities. 

Through its robust policies, strategic infrastructure projects, and strict compliance with national and municipal building standards, the University of Johannesburg exemplifies its commitment to water conservation and sustainable building practices.

Refer to pages 5, 8 and 10 of the UJ Campuses Maintenance Policy and Procedure Manual:

Page 5 (point 4.3.):

“In terms of building standards used to determine the occupancy readiness of any building the SA National Building standards and the City of Johannesburg Building standards for occupancy will apply and be used to determine maintenance effectiveness.”

Page 8 (point 4.9.):

“It is the responsibility of the Maintenance Division to ensure any building used by staff or students or the public as visitors to the institution meets the relevant building standards (see paragraph 4.3) before it may be re-occupied.” 

Page 10 (point 4.15.):

“In any case where there is a conflict between two or more standards the more restrictive of the standards will be applied – but in all cases the minimum requirement is that the SA National Building standards are applied. “

Water Management

“As far as possible, borehole water is now being used on all campuses, and the four new boreholes for supply subvention from 2022 are now in operation.

A number of initiatives implemented in 2022 contributed to some water savings. The key focus areas in the reduction of water consumption for 2022 were as follows:

> Achieving 95% installation of water restricting showerheads in residences and installing 100% of new residences with low flow showerheads.
> Reducing water usage due to reduced supply by the CoJ as a direct result of the Eskom load shedding processes.

The key focus areas in the reduction of water consumption for 2023 are as follows:

> As far as possible replacing existing taps with push-taps at kitchen hand basins and bathrooms, and further trialing push-taps in shower cubicles to reduce water loss due to inadvertent open tap losses after water supply cuts.
> Additional drilling for water on other UJ properties.
> Conducting further awareness campaigns on campuses and in residences to achieve water savings.
> Continuing with the ongoing installation of water restricting showerheads and extending the retro-fitting of push-taps in residences and ablution facilities as funds and technological factors permit.
> Considering the use of waterless urinals to reduce water consumption and investigating a waste concentration system on the APK Campus to reduce sewage costs and allow for substantial water recovery for irrigation purposes.
> Installing the first functioning grey water trial on the APB Campus for two large residences – this is expected to save more than 4 million liters of water per annum.”

Water Management

“As far as possible, borehole water is now used on all campuses, and the four new boreholes for supply subvention from 2019 are now in operation.

A number of initiatives implemented in 2021 contributed to some water savings. The key focus areas in the reduction of water consumption for 2021 were as follows:

> Harvesting rainwater for the purpose of irrigation.
> Achieving 95% installation of water restricting showerheads in residences and installing 100% of new residences with low flow showerheads.

The key focus areas in the reduction of water consumption for 2022 are as follows:

> Ensuring that all new student residences make use of push-taps at kitchen hand basins and bathrooms, and trialing push-taps in shower cubicles to reduce water loss due to inadvertent open tap losses after water supply cuts.
> Completing the drilling programmes for an additional new borehole on each of the campuses, for the purpose of using the water for irrigation.
> Benchmarking water usage against other universities and using this as an incentive to increase savings at UJ.
> Conducting further awareness campaigns on campuses and in residences to achieve water savings.
> Continuing with the ongoing installation of water restricting showerheads and extending the retro-fitting of push-taps in residences and ablution facilities as funds and technological factors permit.
> Considering the use of waterless urinals to reduce water consumption and investigating a waste concentration system on the APK Campus to reduce sewage costs and allow for substantial water recovery for irrigation purposes.
> Another grey water trial is expected to be developed in 2022, which, if more successful than in the past, will be extended to other residences and high-traffic ablution facilities.”