Quenched Cats: The Brita Hydration Station

Sarah Parkos Liz Bollum

Brandon Hecke Dylan Mustoe

Meet the MIS team:

Sarah Parkos

Brandon Hecke

Liz Bollum

Dylan Mustoe

The Problem:

• Students at the UofA, even some that are aware of the ecological implications, are purchasing more disposable plastic water bottles than refilling their supply with reusable ones because “it is convenient” and “the water fountains are gross”.

• These water bottles are costly for students, the school, and the environment. – Each student spends $345 or more per year for water

bottles. – The school has to pay for the proper removal and

management of improperly-disposed-of plastic bottles that fill the trashcans and the ground.

The Problem for the Environment: • Bottled water is the most

environmentally responsible consumer product in the world

• The oil used to produce plastic water bottles each year in the US can fuel up to a million cars

• 80% of water bottles end up in landfills

• Water bottles can take thousands of years to decompose

The Solution Proposal: The Brita Hydration Station!

What is it?

• “The Brita® Hydration Station™ is a touch-free, hygienic, water dispenser that allows users to enjoy the benefits of healthier, great-tasting water without the waste and cost of bottled water. Backed by the Haws® Corporation, the leader in drinking fountains for over 100 years, and the Brita® Brand, the leader in consumer water filtration products.”

The Product Overview:

• $2,150.00 per installed unit. • Mounts in wall between standard 16" studs • Designed for high-traffic areas • Practical for permanent applications • Completely touch-free to avoid hygiene

problems • Filter Replacement Indicator Light • Fast Fill Up • Durable-Gauge Stainless Steel • Use of antimicrobial additives in key

components to protect them against the growth of mold and mildew

The Water Filter:

• $79.95 each

• 2,500 gallon filter life

• Lasts an average of 6 months

• Certified to reduce chlorine (taste / odor)

• Reduces lead by 99.9%

• Removes 99.99% of cysts

• Ships: Within 24hrs

• Easy to replace

Benefits:

• Each Hydration Station can help reduce as many as 36,000 standard 16.9 oz. bottles of water each year! By reducing the amount of water bottles consumed daily, less students will improperly dispose of them on campus, leading to less plastic water bottles in the landfills that can take up to 1,000 years or more to decompose. We can reach the 40,000 students at the UofA by providing them a more convenient, cheap, and clean solution to staying hydrated. Also, in the long run, after implementing the Hydration Stations campus-wide, the University will save money because there will be much less trash due to water bottle waste laying around/filling the trashcans.

Monetary Breakdown and Feasibility:

• Total cost for first year of one Hydration Station: $2309.90 • Green fund: $400,000 per year, $24.00 per student per year • 397,690.10 left of fund after first year of Hydration Station purchase. • The first year of a Hydration Station each student would pay $.144 of their

$24.00 Green Fund money. • That’s less than 1% .994% allocated to the installment of a Hydration Station. • The costs for replacement filters are $159.90 per year • Each student would pay $.001 per year past the first year of their $24.00 fee

to each Hydration Station.

IMPLEMENTING ONE HYDRATION STATION COULD SAVE

EACH STUDENT $345 PER YEAR, AND COST THEM LESS THAN A PENNY IF THE GREEN FUND’S FUNDING ENCOMPASSED THIS PROJECT.

Possible Conflicts:

• Installing the unit would require tapping into existing water-lines.

• Cannot just install and forget about it. Would need a group or person to replace filter two times per year.

– Possibly a duty of an environmental club?

Feedback and Support!

• This station has been implemented in a few universities in the United States so far, but support is continually growing. When we asked the Sustainability Coordinator of Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, Keith Woodward, how they feel the about their recent addition of the Hydration Stations around campus he said, “Our students love them. We have 8 on three campus’s and they would like me to install them into the residence halls.”

More Feedback!

• The University of Nevada, Reno, also recently implemented the water filters in their student union and they produced similar results. The some 16,800 students have nicknamed the station, “The Water Well”, and Chuck Price, the Director of the Student Union claims “It is the best water on campus”.

•

Our Vision:

A cleaner, healthier, cheaper, and greener option for the University of Arizona!

Sources:

• http://www.britahydrationstation.com/ • http://tnjn.com/2011/apr/05/brita-hydration-stations-recei/ • http://drewacorn.com/?p=12272 • http://www.thecorch.com/life/a-tap-water-rant • http://portal.environment.arizona.edu/campus-sustainability/green-fund • http://www.civanoneighbors.com/docs/environment/Civano_EnergyWater_2006-

2007.pdf • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se12y9hSOM0 • http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2007/09/10/62560-arizona-no-5-in-bottled-

water-consumption/ • Anthony Viceri: Haws Corporation Product Sales Consultant, tel:775-353-8348 • Keith Woodward: Quinnipiac University Sustainability Coordinator, Email:

keith.woodward@quinnipiac.edu