Because water is both cheap and plentiful in New York City, its day-to-day consumption often finds its way to our “taken-for granted” lists.

Not so, however, for the University and the departments that oversee this invaluable natural resource and continue to remind us that we have no guarantees of its ongoing low cost and availability.

A new – and novel – conservation measure is being testing this spring on some Wallach Halls floors. It’s called a “Flushometer” – a toilet flushing handle with two settings. Push the handle up for liquid waste, and you’ll save a half-gallon of water. You’ll use 1.1 gallons per flush instead of the standard 1.6 gallons.

Pushing the handle down uses the full 1.6 gallons, the amount necessary for solid waste.

For the last 10 years, the University has been installing low-flow showerheads in faculty and graduate housing, and toilets and urinals have been replaced or upgraded to save water.