UT's WaterHub aims to ease strained water supply
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A rendering of UT's WaterHub, which will be completed by fall 2027. Photo: Rendering: Courtesy of the UT WaterHub® by H2O Innovation
Editor's note: This story was written by University of Texas student Clara Carrabba.
The University of Texas is making a bold leap in water sustainability with its planned WaterHub facility, the largest of its kind at a university in the U.S.
Why it matters: The hub, which officials expect to be running by fall 2027, will be able to reclaim up to 1 million gallons of wastewater per day, easing the burden on Austin's water supply, which has been stressed from population growth and extreme weather conditions.
What they're saying: The WaterHub will decrease the university's dependence on city water supplies year-round and reduce campus water usage, according to Xavier Rivera Marzán, who led initial planning for the hub as the university's former executive director of utilities and energy management.
- "Every gallon of water reclaimed by UT's WaterHub is another gallon of water made available for the Austin community," Rivera Marzán says.
Zoom in: The 9,600-square-foot water processing facility, which will be located in UT's engineering district, will serve as a laboratory for students and faculty to study water treatment and reuse technology.
- It will also include a greenhouse space that's open to the public.
How it works: The WaterHub will intercept domestic wastewater from the newly installed diversion manhole at East 21st Street and San Jacinto Boulevard.
- The water will enter a distribution system to be filtered and treated before it's used in cooling towers and boilers.
- The reclaimed water, which is safe for non-drinking purposes, will help the university achieve a 40% reduction in campus portable water usage.
By the numbers: Existing WaterHubs across the U.S. reclaim between 300,000 to 600,000 gallons of water daily.
- Beyond sustainability, the WaterHub will reduce water purchase costs and discharge fees over time, according to UT's utilities and energy management website.
What's next: The facility will be managed and maintained by H2O Innovation in a public-private partnership with the university.
- H20 Innovation will construct and operate the facility, while UT will pay for the processed water at a fixed rate over the 30-year agreement.
Editor's note: The headline has been corrected to reflect that it's a water facility at the University of Texas (not University of Austin).