Students are removing some of the low-flow shower heads the University installed earlier this year to conserve water.
While N.C. State’s conservation efforts are commendable, standing behind a change that students are going back and changing only undermines the University’s attempts to save water.
According to University Housing Associate Director Barry Olson, the University spent about $15,000 to purchase low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators for residence halls. Olson said that the water-saving devices were tested in focus groups and selected based on durability and student feedback.
Facilities installed most of the shower heads and aerators from Jan. 11 to Feb. 14. But, in the absence of work orders pertaining to shower heads and aerators, the University is only just beginning to learn about students removing the new fixtures.
This is comical. The University spent $15,000 and took a month to install these new shower heads and aerators and took six more to realize students don’t like them.
Presently, students can attempt to address the problems that these water-saving devices cause through the usual channels and submit comments and complaints to building operation staff. Olson suggested students should use these complaints to open a discussion of how to fix problems ranging from low water pressure to limited hot water availability.
Students and administrators need to communicate about the problems and collaborate to come up with solutions. Olson said students also need to realize that there is a collective responsibility to conserve water and to change people’s habits to do so.
That is the right approach.
Throwing water-conserving gadgets at students will not get them into the simple habits they need to develop if the University wants to get serious about saving water. If students think the new shower heads are impractical, then this part of NCSU’s water conservation plan is not working, and students and officials need to collaborate to find an alternate solution.
The University needs to save water, but it also needs to save the students’ money and work with students to find practical ways to conserve.
