AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin is developing a 9,600-square-foot water processing facility known as the UT WaterHub. The facility will use fewer chemicals and resources to treat wastewater, and aims to reduce campus potable water usage by 40%.
The hub will be the largest plant of its kind in the nation, and will be developed in collaboration with H2O Innovation. The first university WaterHub, implemented at Emory University, recycles up to 400,000 gallons of water every single day, and accounts for 40% of the campus’ water needs.
The UT plant will aim to reduce water usage on campus, and hopes to limit the university’s reliance on water supplies from the City of Austin. As well as enhancing aging infrastructure, the WaterHub will help the university save costs on purchasing and discharging water.
How it works:
The WaterHub intercepts wastewater and then pumps it through a greenhouse with different microbes and microorganisms that consume nutrients and convert the water. Plants act as a natural filter to convert the water back to usable non-drinking water. A front-facing greenhouse will be attached to the UT location, which will reduce energy consumption compared to traditional treatment plants.
Public Benefit:
The plant will be open to the public to tour following the completion of the project, and the facility will create academic research opportunities for both students and staff. For those in the surrounding area, the university is claiming that the plant will be odorless and non-disruptive to everyday activities.
“This transformational project further positions UT Austin as a national leader in resource management. The UT WaterHub will enable the University to be proactive, resilient and dynamic in our reclaimed and recovered water strategy — prioritizing utility water conservation with auxiliary water resources — and creating a profound, best-in-class service for the University community. We want to thank H2O Innovation for helping us turn this pioneering idea into a reality,” said Xavier Rivera Marzán, executive director of utilities and energy management.
The project has an estimated cost of just over $28 million and is expected to be completed in late 2027.
