Water

W ater conservation is all a matter of perspective at NOLS. Extraordinary conservation measures in Mexico and the Southwest have obvious merit, but extreme efforts in Patagonia and Alaska don’t make as much sense.

Check out some of our water use projects to see how different locations manage this precious resource.

• NOLS Headquarters has dual flush toilets that save us 2,000 gallons of water a year.
• NOLS Mexico uses a grey water system. Shower water is transferred to a holding tank and eventually used to water the plants around the grounds.
• NOLS Pacific Northwest collects roof run-off and routes it into retention ponds, where it is metered out at a rate consistent with the land before development. Ground water from the parking areas that could contain oils is collected in the retention ponds and passes through an oil separation system before disbursement.
• Six waterless urinals were installed on the guest floors of the Noble Hotel in Lander, saving 8,000 gallons of water annually.
• The showerhouse at NOLS Southwest has low flow showerheads, waterless urinals, and high efficiency washers that make it super efficient. The shower facility saves 3,000 gallons water annually.