Conserve the Flow to Save H2O: University of Waterloo Students Awarded First Prize in National Water Conservation Competition

– The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) announces University of Waterloo students as winners of Canada's Most Water Wise School Case Competition –

TORONTO, March 11, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, in recognition of World Plumbing Day, an international event initiated by the World Plumbing Council to recognize the important role that plumbing plays in the health and safety of individuals, the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating announced the winners of Canada's Most Water Wise School Case Competition. In its second year, the competition aims to challenge college and university students to identify ways to increase water conservation at their schools. The first place team from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario will share a $3,000 grand prize, while the runner-up from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta will share a $1,000 award.

In total, seven teams of students studying environmental studies, business, and the arts from one college and three universities across Canada participated in the competition. The four schools that participated include: Holland College, Prince Edward Island; Mount Royal University, Alberta; Saint Mary's University, Nova Scotia; and the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

"This year marks the second year of Canada's Most Water Wise School Case Competition, and we were once again extremely pleased with the calibre of the submissions and the number of students that participated in this initiative," said Ralph Suppa, President and General Manager, CIPH.  "The precision and attention to detail included within these submissions in analyzing the technical and societal impacts of their recommendations was impressive."

Canada's Most Water Wise School Case Competition Winning Entries

The first place team from the University of Waterloo included Seana Hadala-Turkington, Christopher Nadeau, and Song (Catherine) Wang and was led by faculty advisor Dr. Sarah Wolfe from the Faculty of Environment. Within the submission, the team presented a plan to reduce water consumption in the student residence by replacing toilets, faucets and shower fixtures with water-saving models. The presentation included an initiative to educate student residents and maintenance staff on water saving strategies. The judges praised the team for an exceptional job of determining the capital investment required to make the residence more water efficient, the anticipated water savings, the social impacts (the educational/awareness component) and the anticipated return-on-investment for the University. 

Second place was awarded to the team from Mount Royal University, consisting of Karlee Bendera, Robert Louden, Alexa Matthes, Brady White, Luis Fossi and Sukhjit Panesar, which was led by faculty advisor Brain Sevick from the Faculty of Environmental Science and Ecology. This submission proposed water conservation at the University's East Residence townhouse through greywater recycling, along with a plan to use the project as an educational tool to promote sustainable living to the Mount Royal community. The judges were impressed with the team's evaluation of water savings, real estate impact, and the goal of the proposal to encourage sustainability and public awareness of the need for water conservation. 

"We are thrilled to see the interest from students and faculty in developing an action plan to decrease their school's water footprint, and are happy to provide some encouragement to the students through this case competition," said Paul McDonald, Chairman of CIPH Board, General Manager, Bradford White Canada Inc.

Recognizing the need to use water wisely, the competition tasked students to address areas such as: capital investment required to render the client site more efficient, annual water savings anticipated as a result of implementation, as well as the anticipated return on investment. More information, along with the winning submissions, can be found on CIPH's website at www.ciph.com/waterwiseschool.

World Plumbing Day 2015

Every year, the World Plumbing Council initiates an international celebration for World Plumbing Day to highlight the importance of access to clean drinking water and sufficient sanitation, as well as the essential role the plumbing industry plays in keeping people safe and healthy.

To mark World Plumbing Day 2015, CIPH commissioned a national survey to better understand Canadians' water consumption habits and developed an infographic to encourage Canadians to think about water conservation, as well, to consider the technological advances available to promote water conservation in the home. Survey results and the corresponding infographic can be viewed here. More information on World Plumbing Day can be found at www.ciph.com/wpd and on Twitter (@WPlumbingDay).

About CIPH

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) is a not-for-profit trade association. Founded in Montreal in 1933, CIPH is a vibrant organization committed to providing members with the tools for success in today's competitive environment. More than 260 companies are members of this influential Canadian industry association. They are the manufacturers, wholesale distributors, master distributors, manufacturers' agents and allied companies who manufacture and distribute plumbing, hydronic heating, industrial, waterworks and other mechanical products. CIPH wholesalers operate more than 700 warehouses and showrooms across Canada. Total industry sales exceed $6 billion annually.

SOURCE Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact: Liane Chance, [email protected], 647-259-3318; Lauren Harrison, [email protected], 647-259-3265