Clean water and Sanitation at McMaster University
Wastewater Extraction and Treatment
Sustainable Water Extraction
McMaster University draws its water for use on campus from the City of Hamilton’s water distribution system. Source water protection at the City of Hamilton is the first step in a multi-barrier approach to protecting sources of drinking water such as lakes, rivers, and groundwater before they become contaminated or depleted.
As a result of the Clean Water Act, communities in Ontario were required to develop source protection plans to protect their municipal sources of drinking water. You can visit this site (https://www.hamilton.ca/home-neighbourhood/water-wastewater-stormwater/water-treatment-distribution/source-water-protection) to learn more about what the City of Hamilton is doing to ensure we are using sustainable extraction technologies and processes.
Wastewater treatment
The City of Hamilton collects and treats both sanitary and combined sewage from the large underground wastewater collection system. As part of this system, the City of Hamilton has created a voluntary Wastewater Quality Management System, to improve existing wastewater systems and processes and reduce environmental impacts. More information on the wastewater quality management system can be found here.
McMaster continues to promote conserving more water through innovative initiatives at university locations. The purpose of such projects is to decrease McMaster’s dependency on Municipal water system therefore resulting in a much more sustainable campus.
- Conservation of City Water Cooling on Process Units to Chilled Water Loop
- The component to change city water cooled equipment to campus chilled water loop has been completed for all campus facilities and cafeterias in 2014/2015. This retrofit ensures compliance with the current potable water use regulations with the benefit of the reduction in fresh potable water consumption.
- Water System Retrofit in Life Sciences Building Fish Tank Room
- The Building 39 Life Sciences Facility has a fish research room which currently utilizes potable water through fish tanks and drains it to the sewage system. The current annual consumption of city water is approximately 50,000 m3 or $ 140,000 in annual costs at current water rates. This is a significant potable water consumption area on campus.
- The project involves implementing best practices from fish research labs at University of Guelph, Aqua Lab and Environment Canada and implement a filtration and circulation system which would have the capability to reduce potable water consumption by 80-95%. Preliminary engineering on the project has been completed and has been approved by the relevant faculty and lab staff.
- Other Initiatives
- Although urinals might not normally be an interesting topic of conversation, the ones in the David Braley Athletic Centre have a very unique aspect to them. They are ultra low-flush and only use 1/2 a litre of water per flush! Research done for the recently released Campus Sustainability Assessment Framework shows that older model toilets previously used on campus consumed up to 5.5 gallons of water per flush. This has been a major advancement in the preservation of municipal water and has also helped to decrease our dependence on the amount of potable water supplied to us.
Steam and chilled water produced at the central utilities plant are provided to most buildings, including the McMaster University Medical Centre. Domestic hot water is produced in all buildings by utilizing steam heat exchangers. Electric power is purchased from the IESO directly from the Ontario Hydro grid and distributed throughout the University by way of a University-owned hydro substation and overhead and underground distribution systems. Domestic water and sewer services are provided by the City of Hamilton. Localized campus service is provided through University water distribution and sewage collection systems.
The University recognizes that fresh water is a non-renewable resource that needs to be conserved. The University will attempt to:
- reduce the quantity of water used and wastewater produced;
- employ natural stormwater management procedures: ponds, rainwater systems, permeable paving, roof gardens and other mitigation strategies;
- reduce landscape irrigation needs by planting native and drought-resistant species, where possible;
- maximize water reuse across the University;
- implement water recycling programs to use rainwater for landscape irrigation.
McMaster continues to promote conserving more water through innovative initiatives at university locations. The purpose of such projects is to decrease McMaster’s dependency on Municipal water system therefore resulting in a much more sustainable campus.
Preventing water system pollution
McMaster University has programs to prevent polluted water from entering the wider system, and ensure the ecosystem is protected from incidents due to human activity. In McMaster’s Nuclear Reactor Annual Compliance and Operational Performance report, the university completes environmental monitoring, including ensuring liquid waste does not contaminate municipal sewers and liquid waste continues to be captured and processed or evaporated in the facility. McMaster outlines the municipal, provincial, and federal environmental legislation it adheres to and reviews regularly (Environmental Protection Act of Ontario & Other Federal, Provincial and Municipal Environmental Statutes).
6.1 All departments will assess and identify environmental risks, waste and energy reduction initiatives on an ongoing basis;
6.7 Policy and Programs related to preventing the discharge of contaminants to the environment will be implemented and reviewed on a scheduled basis by EOHSS and the CJHSC;
6.10 All Supervisors will implement control procedures for potential environmental contaminants used in service, research and teaching programs;
6.11 EOHSS will arrange for monitoring of water effluent discharges to the sanitary sewers, as necessary. (See Appendix B);
6.12 The disposal of hazardous waste will be carried out as specified in the Hazardous Waste Management Program (RMM # 502);
Appendix B – Section 4 and 5 Discharges to Sanitary Sewers and Discharges to Combined Sewers/Storm Sewers Excerpt
No person shall discharge or deposit or cause or permit the discharge or deposit of matter of any kind listed below, directly or indirectly, into or in land drainage works, private branch drains or connections to any sanitary sewer or combined sewer matter of any type or at any temperature or in any quantity which may be or may become a health or safety hazard to a sewage works employee, or which may be or may become harmful to a sewage works, or which may cause the sewage works effluent to contravene any requirement by or under the Ontario Water Resources Act, or the Environmental Protection Act or which may cause the sludge from sewage works to fail to meet the criteria relating to contaminants for spreading sludge on agricultural lands under the current Guidelines for the Utilization of Biosolids and Other Wastes on Agricultural Land (as revised March, 1996) unless the person has been advised in writing by the operator of the sewage treatment works that the sludge will never be used on agricultural lands, or which may interfere with the proper operation of a sewage works, or which may impair or interfere with any sewage treatment process or which may result in a hazard to any person, animal, property or vegetation
Additional procedural guidelines and protocols are in place, including the Hazardous Waste Management Program and Spills to the Environment – Emergency Response & Reporting Program to monitor water system pollution and mitigate its impacts.
The University recognizes that fresh water is a non-renewable resource that needs to be conserved. The University will attempt to:
- reduce the quantity of water used and wastewater produced;
- employ natural stormwater management procedures: ponds, rainwater systems, permeable paving, roof gardens and other mitigation strategies;
- reduce landscape irrigation needs by planting native and drought-resistant species, where possible;
- maximize water reuse across the University;
- implement water recycling programs to use rainwater for landscape irrigation.
McMaster continues to promote conserving more water through innovative initiatives at university locations. The purpose of such projects is to decrease McMaster’s dependency on Municipal water system therefore resulting in a much more sustainable campus.
Free Drinking Water Provided
A working group of students, faculty and staff have banded together to reduce single-use plastic water bottles by encouraging the McMaster community, including visitors to use the water bottle filling stations located throughout campus.
The group developed a university-wide campaign, Bring Your Own Bottle, that includes a web page to explain the benefits of water bottle refilling. This summer, the campaign will expand with new signage and a digital map of all the 200-plus water refilling locations across campus and in residence where all users get free access to drinking water.
- McMaster uses Elkay water refill stations in academic and administrative buildings. Refill station filters are replaced when the unit displays a red signal, which is after 3,000 refills.
- McMaster also uses Elkay filters in under-counter kitchen units designated with a ‘Bring Your Own Bottle’ sign, and these filters are changed annually each summer.
- Learn more about the type of Elkay filter used at McMaster.
The Bring Your Own Bottle Working Group aims to improve the environment and health of our McMaster community through promotion of and providing access to water bottle filling stations throughout campus. The Working Group is made up of staff, students, and faculty members from across campus who aim to make campus drinking water the beverage of choice.
The Working Group reports jointly to the McMaster Okanagan Committee with support from the McMaster Sustainability Advisory Committee
Water Conscious Building Standards
All new buildings at McMaster are being developed with sustainability in mind. McMaster is committed to being proactive in reducing energy and water consumption through implementing retrofits in existing campus buildings. As technology advances its innovations in sustainable design, the university looks to implement them in all new construction.
All new construction at McMaster is now designed to LEED silver or higher certification in accordance with the Canada Green Building Council.
Main campus:
- Burke Science Building: LEED Silver Certified (’05)
- Les Prince Hall Building: LEED Certified (’06)
- David Braley Athletic Centre: LEED Certified (’07)
- Engineering Technology Building: LEED Gold Certified (’09)
- Nuclear Research Building Addition: LEED Gold Certified (’11)
- Ivor Wynne Centre – Spinal Cord Research Addition: LEED Silver (’12)
- Wilson Hall: LEED Silver Certification (’17)
- Peter George Living and Learning Centre: LEED Silver Certification (’19)
Other buildings:
- The CANMET building at McMaster Innovation Park: LEED Platinum Certification (’10)
- Ron Joyce Centre, Burlington campus: LEED Gold Certified (’10)
- David Braley Health Sciences Centre, downtown Hamilton: LEED Gold Certified (’15)
- Halton McMaster Family Health Centre: LEED Gold Certified (’17)
Engineering Technology Building
The Engineering Technology Building incorporates the latest in sustainable design and construction. It achieved LEED Gold certification due to sustainability features that include: rainwater harvesting for wastewater flushing and landscape irrigation; automated photo sensor controlled lighting; high recycled content in building materials; inclusion of local slag, a by-product of steelmaking, to reduce cement content in structural and landscaping concrete; a dual duct HVAC system that separates ventilation from space heating and cooling functions, coupled with heat recovery for exhaust air; and integration of mechanical systems with the building envelope and structure, incorporating the thermal mass of the structure as a heat sink.
L.R. Wilson Hall
L.R. Wilson Hall is McMaster University’s stunning home for the liberal arts. It houses state-of-the-art teaching and learning space, a 350-seat concert hall, and 20,000 square feet of space dedicated to the Indigenous Studies Program. It is LEED Silver certified for its efficiency and sustainability features such as roof gardens, which contribute to cisterns used for irrigation, motion sensor lights and heating, and a design that seeks to bring natural light into every space.
Gerald Hatch Centre
The Gerald Hatch Centre for Engineering Experiential Learning at McMaster University combines a home for undergraduate clubs with engineering research in a building that functions as a living laboratory of sustainability. The Centre was built to meet a zero-net energy threshold and to demonstrate its potential as a standalone resilient facility. The building design showcases how sustainable technologies can work together to reduce the environmental footprint and advance green technology and research.
The Ron Joyce Centre is the home of the MBA and executive education programs of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. Located at the Burlington satellite campus, the building is LEED Gold certified. This certification relies on demonstrating sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental air quality. The sustainable features include: Low flow plumbing fixtures and high-efficient lighting, white roof to minimize the heat island effect, extensive use of construction materials containing recycled content, and green power sources for 50 per cent of the building’s electricity.
David Braley Health Sciences Centre
The David Braley Health Sciences Centre is LEED Gold certified and has a rainwater collection system which is part of the grey water system for the building. The building was designed to reflect the natural landscape of Hamilton and includes physical features that represent the city’s many waterfalls.
Peter George Living and Learning Centre
McMaster University’s Peter George Living and Learning Centre was completed in the fall of 2019. The 14-storey, 335,000 square-foot building is now the tallest structure on the main campus with gleaming glass towers. The building combines residence space, student activity space, and state-of-the-art learning facilities. It has been designed to LEED Silver standards.
Water reuse measurement
McMaster University recognizes that fresh water is a non-renewable conserve. According to its Sustainability Policy (see pg. 3) the University will attempt to maximize water reuse across the University.
The University recognizes that fresh water is a non-renewable resource that needs to be conserved. The University will attempt to:
- reduce the quantity of water used and wastewater produced;
- employ natural stormwater management procedures: ponds, rainwater systems, permeable paving, roof gardens and other mitigation strategies;
- reduce landscape irrigation needs by planting native and drought-resistant species, where possible;
- maximize water reuse across the University;
- implement water recycling programs to use rainwater for landscape irrigation.
McMaster continues to promote conserving more water through innovative initiatives at university locations. The purpose of such projects is to decrease McMaster’s dependency on Municipal water system therefore resulting in a much more sustainable campus.
Since 2019, McMaster has completed several energy projects, which includes the following
A key component of the Energy Management Plan is the creation of an Energy Management system, an online solution that will help:
- Provide yearly analysis of McMaster’s utility consumption in each building compared with their own baselines, as well as benchmarks from other universities;
- Analyze utility bills for all facilities on campus to ensure correctness of usage and associated charges and;
- Engage and educate the McMaster community in utilities use on campus and build effective education and outreach campaigns.
Several metrics are already reported, such as annual water use intensity (page 19) and the domestic water usage (page 17), and many others are measured and tracked systematically.
- Conservation of City Water Cooling on Process Units to Chilled Water Loop
- The component to change city water cooled equipment to campus chilled water loop has been completed for all campus facilities and cafeterias in 2014/2015. This retrofit ensures compliance with the current potable water use regulations with the benefit of the reduction in fresh potable water consumption.
- Water System Retrofit in Life Sciences Building Fish Tank Room
- The Building 39 Life Sciences Facility has a fish research room which currently utilizes potable water through fish tanks and drains it to the sewage system. The current annual consumption of city water is approximately 50,000 m3 or $ 140,000 in annual costs at current water rates. This is a significant potable water consumption area on campus.
- The project involves implementing best practices from fish research labs at University of Guelph, Aqua Lab and Environment Canada and implement a filtration and circulation system which would have the capability to reduce potable water consumption by 80-95%. Preliminary engineering on the project has been completed and has been approved by the relevant faculty and lab staff.
- Other Initiatives
- Although urinals might not normally be an interesting topic of conversation, the ones in the David Braley Athletic Centre have a very unique aspect to them. They are ultra low-flush and only use 1/2 a litre of water per flush! Research done for the recently released Campus Sustainability Assessment Framework shows that older model toilets previously used on campus consumed up to 5.5 gallons of water per flush. This has been a major advancement in the preservation of municipal water and has also helped to decrease our dependence on the amount of potable water supplied to us.
The Campus Plan provides an opportunity to minimize or eliminate the stormwater impacts on Cootes Paradise and surrounding natural environments and combat climate change through the implementation of a holistic and sustainable approach to stormwater management. As the university grows, significant opportunities exist for the implementation of low-impact development features both on-site and off-site, in collaboration with the HCA, RBG and the City of Hamilton. The following recommendations should be implemented to support stormwater management, erosion and sediment control (page 92):
- Retain storm water on-site, to the extent possible, to achieve the same level of annual volume of runoff as pre-development conditions or retain a minimum of the first 5mm of every rainfall event on-site, whichever is more stringent, through infiltration, evapotranspiration and rainwater re-use.
- Implement low-impact development features on all new development to the extent possible such as rain gardens, permeable pavement, vegetated filter strips, bioswales, infiltration tanks/galleries, rainwater re-use cisterns, roof-top downspout disconnections to pervious areas to meet storm water quality control, erosion control and water balance criteria.