Rice University is proving that growth and water conservation can go hand in hand. Through the leadership of the Office of Sustainability, an innovative water monitoring program has dramatically reduced campus water use while supporting the needs of a growing university.
Since 2019, the sustainability office, in partnership with Real Estate & Facilities, has installed water submeters across campus. These devices send detailed consumption data to a cloud-based dashboard every six hours, providing a near real-time look at where and how water is being used. The system flags unusual patterns — such as a sudden spike from a toilet stuck in continuous flush mode — allowing staff to address problems quickly.
Impact and Savings
The program has saved an estimated $530,000 and conserved more than 90 million gallons of water since 2019. That’s enough to fill 136 Olympic-sized swimming pools. In 2024 alone, as more submeters were added, 52 major leaks were detected and resolved, preventing more than $300,000 in unnecessary costs.
Maximizing Every Drop
This program extends beyond fixing leaks. The Office of Sustainability uses the data to measure the success of conservation projects, improve plant and irrigation efficiency, detect equipment faults, and produce accurate reports for campus planning. Since the program began, water use has dropped from 281 million gallons in 2019 to 247 million gallons in 2024 — a 12% decrease despite campus expansion.
Looking Ahead
Rice plans to expand the program by installing additional submeters to gain even greater insight into water use. A publicly accessible dashboard is also in the works, allowing anyone to explore the university’s water consumption data firsthand.
Every drop counts. If you spot a leak or any water-related issue on campus, please report it by submitting a service request via https://facilities.rice.edu/.