project leader
Matt B
location
6300 N. Ridge
(Rogers Park)
latest update rss
Thank you message from the project leader!

the project

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.

the steps

  • 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

why we're doing it

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  First, it will reduce the amount of water withdrawn from Lake Michigan, which has recently experienced problems with over-withdrawal due to human consumption.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.

budget

  • 55 Low-flow showerheads, Model: Niagara 1.5 Gallon per Minute Chrome Earth Massage Handheld Showerhead, Model #: N2945CH, $15.80 each from e3 Living (http://e3living.com)
  • 100 Low-flow faucet aerators, Model: Niagara 1.5 Gallon per Minute Faucet Aerator, Model #: N3104, $1.51 each from e3 Living (http://e3living.com)

e3 Living sells sink aerators in packs of 50, 100 and 500.  A pack of 100 is the lowest amount I can by and still cover all of the needs of this project.  The 35 or so left over can be used elsewhere at Misericordia.

While standard showerheads are cheaper, many of the residents at Mis with physical disabilities need the flexibility of handheld showerheads.

I did a fair amount of research to find the lowest priced fixtures I could, and these were the best I could find.

ioby materials & labor = $35

Third party credit card processing fee (3%) = $30.60

TOTAL = 1086

updates

Thank you message from the project leader!

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • David B.
  • Thomas P.
  • Harris P.
  • Robert B.
  • Benjamin B.
  • Alex P.
  • Barbara C J.