UNM Utility Services earns fourth Water Efficiency Award

The University of New Mexico continues to lead in sustainable water management, with UNM Utility Services earning its fourth Impact on Water Efficiency & the Environment (IWEE) Award for improving water efficiency in campus cooling tower operations.

This latest achievement represents an estimated savings of more than 6 million gallons of water per year, bringing UNM's total annual water savings in 2024 to approximately 14.3 million gallons.

Cooling towers play a critical role in campus operations by removing heat from building systems through evaporative cooling. As water evaporates, naturally occurring minerals remain behind, becoming more concentrated over time. If not carefully managed, this buildup can cause scale and corrosion within the system. To prevent damage, a portion of the recirculating water must be discharged and replaced with fresh water.

The balance between efficiency and system protection is measured by what engineers call "cycles of concentration," which compare mineral levels in tower water to those in incoming water. UNM's award resulted from installing advanced control technology that optimizes these cycles of concentration, significantly lowering cooling tower water consumption and reducing costs $20,000 annually.

The Industrial Water Engineering group recognizes organizations that implement innovative strategies to improve water efficiency while reducing environmental impact. UNM's latest recognition highlights the Utilities team's commitment to continuously improving infrastructure performance through data-driven decision-making.

"It is through the dedicated efforts of our Utility Services team that these opportunities of increased operational efficiencies are uncovered. An important part of our organization is to encourage and support this type of initiative. This particular project was a result of the efforts of our Water Group and Maintenance Team," said Robert Notary, director of technical services, Facility Services.

Water conservation remains a critical priority for UNM, and this achievement advances the university's sustainability goals, as outlined in UNM 2040 Goal Four: Sustainabilityand the newly released UNM Sustainability Strategic Plan. Projects such as this help build onto the University's broader sustainability goals by reducing resource consumption while maintaining reliable campus operations.

"The sustainability strategic planning process made it clear that water conservation is a high priority for UNM students, faculty, and staff. Utility Services is leading The University's efforts to maximize water efficiency and savings as we work toward the goal of reducing campus water use 20% by 2030," said Anne Jakle, director of the UNM Office of Sustainability.

The Office of Sustainability will continue to recognize the Utility Services team, and all involved in helping UNM build a sustainable future one milestone at a time. UNM Utility Services continues to identify opportunities to enhance water efficiency across campus systems, reinforcing the University's role as a responsible steward of natural resources. To learn more about UNM's Utility Services or campus energy and water infrastructure, visit their page.