Water conservation potential in educational institutions in developing countries: case study of a university campus in Ghana

Abstract

This paper presents evidence of the potential for institutional water conservation in a developing country using a university campus in Kumasi, Ghana, as a case study and suggests measures for reducing water demand in institutions. A water end-use survey was conducted using a sample of 144 students from six halls of residence to determine lavatory faucet (tap), showerhead and water closet water-use. The average per capita water use was 115.12 ± 5.33 litres per day at 95% confidence level. Results of the water end-use analysis showed that students use high quantities of water for bathing (61.90 ± 4.06 litres per capita per day at 95% confidence level). There is a potential for reducing the annual water demand by 30.85% through water conservation measures such as retrofitting with water-efficient showerheads and water closets. The payback period for the cost of retrofitting in the current study was found to be 6.5 years.

Keywords:

• water end-use
• water conservation
• water demand management
• water supply