Water Conservation

CSU Bakersfield is making every effort to reduce water use during the severe drought that we are experiencing in California. Check out some of our initiatives.

There are water-wise demonstration gardens located around campus, most notably on the Walter Stiern Library south lawn, between Dorothy Donahoe Hall and Science I, and the south side of Science III. The demonstration gardens replaced grassy areas with drought tolerant landscaping. The plants and trees in these spaces are all low-water use and native to the climate. 
CSUB has converted over 63,000 square feet of turf grass that was not being used for recreational areas and has replaced it with ground coverings, such as mulch, gravel, and drought tolerant native or non-thirsty plants. Artificial turf grass has been installed along the sidewalks on Roadrunner Drive.
CSUB uses a smart irrigation system which reduces water by at least 30% each year. The system automatically adjusting water usage based on weather conditions, soil moisture and broken pipes. The system also allows us to manage the irrigation during events to make sure the sprinklers are turned off. 
CSUB will no longer be filling decorative fountains and ponds on campus, with the exception of the Koi pond located in Alumni Park. Water inside ponds and fountains constantly evaporates, and new water must be used in order to sustain the water level within the system. Turning the water off on these ponds will help to reduce water on campus. 
Almost every sink on campus has been converted to an automatic shutoff faucet.  These faucets prevent water from being continuously run due to leaving a faucet in the on position by automatically turning off after use.  The sinks also use low flow faucets, which significantly reduces the amount of water flowing when turned on. 
Urinals around campus located in men’s restrooms have been converted to waterless systems. The new technology allows for no water to be used and can save up to 40,000 gallons of water per year. Many toilets around campus have been converted to low-flush toilets which reduces the amount of water used when flushed.