UNM’s water conservation efforts result in saving 2.85 million gallons annually

The University of New Mexico Utility Services and UNM Hospital recently received a water conservation award from Industrial Water Engineering (IWE), the water treatment partner of the University. The Impact on Water, Efficiency, & the Environment (IWEE) Award recognizes partners of IWE for significantly improving operations through savings and performance optimization.

In the summer of 2023, it was noted that the overall steam demand from the UNM campus was lower than the output of the cogeneration units housed in the Ford Utilities Center, which produces electricity and steam for the UNM campus. This resulted in a portion of the heat being rejected instead of making steam.

The Utility Services team collaborated with the UNMH Facilities team to devise a plan to send this extra steam to UNMH while also allowing the condensed water back to UNM. Although the two systems' water treatment programs were initially incompatible with sending condensed water back to the UNM boilers, the teams drafted a plan to merge the two systems and tested it successfully in the summer of 2024.

Through standardizing the condensate treatment process across both facilities, UNM Utility Services has been able to safely return condensate, the liquid produced by the creation of steam, from UNM Hospitals back to the Ford Utilities Center. In doing so, UNM has realized a savings of 2.85 million gallons of water annually. This project required coordination between the facility teams at UNM and UNM Hospital, including the water team and plant engineers. This has greatly reduced the water and chemical consumption at the facility for a positive environmental and financial impact to the University.

"Congratulations to Utilities Services and UNMH on this well-deserved award," said Teresa Costantinidis, executive vice president for Finance and Administration. "Saving 2.85 million gallons of water annually, plus the chemical reduction, is amazing."

"Congratulations to the team at Utilities Services for your efforts, this award and contributing to something so meaningful for New Mexico," said Shawna Wolfe, vice president for Institutional Support Services. "I am also grateful for UNMH's partnership."

The process has an estimated chemical savings of $5,000 per year.

UNM Utility Services oversees the management and distribution of critical utilities across campus, ensuring a comfortable and efficient environment for students, staff, faculty, and visitors. The department's scope includes electricity, heating steam, chilled water, domestic water, and compressed air systems, with a dedication to sustainability and operational excellence.

Industrial Water Engineering (IWE) has been a leader in providing specialized water treatment solutions since 1980. Serving clients across commercial and industrial sectors, IWE is known for its customized, high-quality service and team of experts, which has been recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in recent years. With locations in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, IWE supports sustainable practices and operational success.