Water Systems
Stanford’s water systems consist of supplies and storage and distribution facilities for domestic (potable), lake (irrigation) and recycled water, and sanitary sewer (waste water) and storm drainage (runoff). The water systems are managed in the Water Services and Civil Infrastructure Group within the Utilities Services division of the Sustainability and Energy Management department (SEM).
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Domestic Water
Stanford’s domestic water system provides the potable water for its buildings and fire protection system. The domestic water is primarily supplied by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which supplies most of the potable water for the City of San Francisco and 28 agencies in the Bay Area. Stanford’s domestic water system has multiple connections to this system, and domestic water from Stanford’s reservoirs in the foothills supplies the campus by gravity through three pressure zones and an extensive distribution pipe network. Stanford’s potable water supply from SFPUC is backed up by Stanford’s own water wells that produce potable water and would be activated in the event of disruption in the SFPUC supply.
Lake Water
Stanford’s lake water system provides the irrigation water for the University’s campus landscaping, athletic fields, golf course, and leaseholds’ agriculture. Creeks, dams and lakes on Stanford property supply the non-potable water to an infrastructure system of pump stations and pipelines for delivery to the campus, mostly by gravity. This water supply system dates back to the early days of the University and has been preserved and operated since then, reducing the amount of imported water that Stanford would otherwise need to meet its needs. Stanford’s water wells supplement the surface water supply as needed, based on annual rainfall. The creek diversion facilities include provisions for accommodating fish passage and habitat, including fish ladders and screened intakes.
Recycled Water
Stanford has developed a recycled water system on campus, starting with the construction of a new recycled water treatment plant (RWTP) at Stanford's Central Energy Facility (CEF). CEF cooling tower blowdown water that would otherwise be discharged as waste water to the sanitary sewer is collected, treated and distributed to new campus buildings, starting with the recently constructed Environment and Energy Building in the new Science and Engineering Quad 2. Other upcoming new buildings anticipated to use recycled water include three additional SEQ 2 buildings, four new School of Medicine buildings, and the new Graduate School of Business complex. The new buildings are constructed with separate recycled water piping and plumbing ("dual plumbing"). The recycled water is used for toilet and urinal flushing. This use of recycled water will reduce new domestic water use in Stanford's new academic buildings.
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