Water
- Water Efficiency: To decrease potable water consumption on campus, Macalester has focused on improving efficiency. Nearly all buildings on campus have installed low-flow faucets and shower heads, and some have dual-flush toilets to minimize water consumption.
- Bottled Water: In 2011 Macalester instituted a ban on selling bottled water in vending machines, at athletic events, and at all retail sources, while simultaneously installing automatic bottle filling stations throughout campus. In addition to reducing waste, the effort also keeps water local to its source. Read more about the bottled water campaign in this Case Study by Clare Pillsbury ‘12.
- Stormwater Management: As a result of climate change, Minnesota is experiencing more intense storms with large volumes of water falling in a shorter period of time. When this occurs, the ground is unable to absorb and filter the water effectively, resulting in an increase in water runoff into the stormwater system. This water flows directly into the Mississippi River, introducing pollutants and causing short-term flooding. To address this issue, the Macalester College Sustainability Plan set a goal of reducing the pollution, quantity, and speed at which water runs off the campus by infiltrating the first inch of precipitation on campus.
- Permeable Pavers: Permeable pavement walkways, such as the porous pavers which have been installed in front of Markim Hall and along the walkways leading from the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, allow a percent of precipitation to filter into the ground rather than run off. This reduces erosion, flooding, and the sweeping of chemicals into our waterways. As precipitation filters through the pavement into the ground, it passes through a series of minerals, such as rocks and sand, which remove pollutants from the water before it is deposited back into the earth.
- Irrigation Controls: In 2020, new updated irrigation controllers were installed to reduce the amount of water needed to maintain the vegetation on campus.
- The Leonard Center Pool: The pool in The Leonard Center, Macalester’s Athletic & Wellness Complex, uses sphagnum moss, placed in plastic bags in the contact chambers of the pool, to reduce organic contamination and naturally stabilize the pool’s pH. The moss addresses scale, staining, and corrosion while reducing maintenance and the need for chemicals, as well as water and energy use. The technique was introduced by Creative Water Solutions, a contractor on the building project.