HSC hopes grass will be greener with new system
Officials say water-saving irrigation pilot system promotes environmental sustainability while saving costs.
Stephanie Harnett
Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: News
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Water. It's the essential ingredient for lush lawns and lavish gardens. But because of the arid environment of Southern California, USC is seeking to strike a balance between sustainability and stunning greens.
USC will install a new, water-saving irrigation system next week at a test site on the Health Sciences Campus to improve environmental sustainability on campus.
Emily Lewis, a senior majoring in communication, is a representative for Sustainable Engineering Solutions, the company that will install the system.
Lewis said the new system uses 80 percent less water than traditional watering systems, saving water without harming the look of the lawns.
The switch comes months after USC received poor marks in an assessment by the Sustainable Endowment Institute. The institute graded 100 U.S. and Canadian universities; USC ranked among the bottom 12 with a D grade.
Max Slavkin, Undergraduate Student Government vice president, is spearheading the effort to make USC more sustainable. He is currently putting together a comprehensive report to the administration regarding practices at USC. He said taking initiative on new environmental practices should be a priority.
"It just takes the willpower to make the change and to just do something new that hasn't been done before when there isn't someone putting a gun to your head," he said.
The new irrigation system uses technology developed 12 years ago in Australia. Lewis said the system uses an underground geotextile fiber to carry water directly to plant roots. Using capillary action, water is pulled through the fiber at the same rate it is used by plants, eliminating excess watering and runoff.
Lewis said the test site, a hillside lawn at the periphery of HSC, currently uses 21,600 gallons of water each week for irrigation.
Jorge de los Reyes, the preventative maintenance supervisor at HSC, will oversee the installation. He said the site was chosen for its hillside location and largely clay soil composition.
USC will install a new, water-saving irrigation system next week at a test site on the Health Sciences Campus to improve environmental sustainability on campus.
Emily Lewis, a senior majoring in communication, is a representative for Sustainable Engineering Solutions, the company that will install the system.
Lewis said the new system uses 80 percent less water than traditional watering systems, saving water without harming the look of the lawns.
The switch comes months after USC received poor marks in an assessment by the Sustainable Endowment Institute. The institute graded 100 U.S. and Canadian universities; USC ranked among the bottom 12 with a D grade.
Max Slavkin, Undergraduate Student Government vice president, is spearheading the effort to make USC more sustainable. He is currently putting together a comprehensive report to the administration regarding practices at USC. He said taking initiative on new environmental practices should be a priority.
"It just takes the willpower to make the change and to just do something new that hasn't been done before when there isn't someone putting a gun to your head," he said.
The new irrigation system uses technology developed 12 years ago in Australia. Lewis said the system uses an underground geotextile fiber to carry water directly to plant roots. Using capillary action, water is pulled through the fiber at the same rate it is used by plants, eliminating excess watering and runoff.
Lewis said the test site, a hillside lawn at the periphery of HSC, currently uses 21,600 gallons of water each week for irrigation.
Jorge de los Reyes, the preventative maintenance supervisor at HSC, will oversee the installation. He said the site was chosen for its hillside location and largely clay soil composition.
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