SDG 6.5.3: Supporting water conservation off campus

Islamic University of Lebanon support water conservation off campus through on rain water in the main form as an alternative to the water received from the Ministry of Energy at a rate of 80% of use. Noting that the water of wells is not used except in days of scarcity, allowing the rest of the surrounding areas to benefit from the surplus water available.  

The university secures from its sources water for the agricultural areas surrounding the campus, (See figure 1) in agreement and coordination with the municipality and the owners of neighboring properties. 

The university for its construction project incorporated architectural elements on the campus in which all the requirements related to the surrounding environment were developed and studied, including the lack of a source for use and drinking water, and the absence of an infrastructure that would cover the needs of the buildings included in the project. Consequently, the university infrastructure was equipped with the development of four networks to prevent contaminated water from entering the water system, as follows: 

  • An internal network of drinking water that is distributed to all buildings 
  • A network to collect rainwater from the roofs of buildings 
  • A network for collecting rainwater from roads and land areas 
  • A sewage network and a treatment station (septic tank) 

Rain water from the roads 

The project is equipped with seven ground tanks with capacity of 1400 m3 with a water collection system from the roads. The collected water is used in the irrigation system of the agricultural lands surrounding the project. 

Rainwater from the roofs and balconies 

 Ground tanks (from R1 to R4 .in blue color) with total capacity of approximately 2900m3 were built distributed over the entire project. Ceilings were designed diagonally to collect water and deliver it to the tanks separately, see next figure, the consumption rate of each student: 

  • Capacity building 900 students 
  • Volume of upper tank 2000×7=14000litres 
  • The consumption rate for each student =2000×7/900= 15.5litres/day