Low-Flow Water Fixtures at Misericordia

The goal of this project is to install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators at nine residences on the campus of Misericordia (Mis), a Chicago-based non-profit that provides residences and services to adults with developmental disabilities.  These low-flow fixtures, which allow less water to pass through than standard fixtures, will reduce the amount of water that Misericordia uses.  This will help Mis by lowering its water bill and will help the local environment by reducing withdrawal from Lake Michigan and reducing the amount of water passing though the sewer system.

• Oct/Nov - raise funds and order low-flow fixtures
• Nov/Dec - install fixtures, keeping track of the number installed and their flow rates
• Jan - calculate total water and money savings, and contact Mis to see how residents are responding to new fixtures

We're doing this project because it is good for Misericordia and good for the planet: it will help Mis save money on its water bill and it will limit Mis's impact on the local environment.

With over 500 residents, many requiring a wide variety of services, Misericordia is out of necessity a huge consumer of water.  All that water usage results in an equally large water bill, which is a burden on an organization that is constantly challenged to meet its financial needs.  By reducing the amount of water that Mis uses, this project takes a small but meaningful bite out of their water bill.

Installing low-flow water fixtures will help the local environment in two ways.  First, it will reduce the amount of water withdrawn from Lake Michigan, which has recently experienced problems with over-withdrawal due to human consumption.  Secondly, it will reduce the amount of water that ends up in the sewer system.  In Chicago, water used in any building drains into the sewer system, where it is combined with water drained off of the streets.  This dirty water takes energy and resources to treat.  When the sewer system is overburdened, which often happens during heavy rain, contaminated water (containing road salt, human waste, antifreeze, etc.) is discharged into local waterways to reduce pressure on the system.  This influx of chemicals and nutrients is detrimental to the local environment.