Energy, emissions, and buildings have dominated campus sustainability discussions in Canada for many years. That emphasis is important, but it ignores water, a more pressing issue. Climate-related drought and flooding, deteriorating subterranean infrastructure, and growing demands to utilize water more efficiently are all challenges facing Canadian schools, and those that view water as "someone else's utility problem" are already falling behind.
One of the most obvious instances of the disconnect between sustainability rhetoric and practical operations, in our opinion at TGCC, is water management. Leaking pipes, overwatered lawns, and stormwater systems designed for a climate that no longer exists cannot be ignored while claiming resiliency.
Why water is rising on the agenda
Water is more than just toilets and faucets. It is connected to stormwater management, residence life, labs, operations, landscaping, safety, and food services on campus. Heavy rains on campuses can overwhelm drainage systems, flooding basements, damaging equipment, and interfering with courses; as heat and drought worsen, irrigation pressure and water demand rise simultaneously.natural resources.
The risk posed by climate change is not theoretical. Damaged infrastructure, increased operational costs, seasonal disruptions, and lower water quality due to excess nutrients and toxic algal blooms are already associated with Canada's shifting water cycle. To put it simply, universities are coping with a system that is simultaneously becoming more costly, brittle, and unpredictable.
The infrastructure gap is real
Although Canada's water systems are enormous, resilience is not correlated with size. According to Statistics Canada, public water systems comprised 3,342 water treatment facilities, 472,488 kilometres of subterranean pipes, 284,827 km of culverts and open ditches, and 4,126 wastewater treatment plants and lagoon systems in 2020. That's a lot of infrastructure, as well as a lot of outdated equipment buried underground, where issues often turn into costly surprises.
The overall state of Canadian infrastructure is not encouraging. According to a U of T source, Canada's infrastructure deficit is expected to be $123 billion, of which $31 billion is related to water and wastewater. According to a different Canadian infrastructure source, more than 10% of the country's current water and wastewater assets are in poor or extremely poor condition, with significant regional variation and a divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. This means that before climate stress even enters the conversation, many campuses are functioning inside a system that already requires significant investment.
What campuses are up against
There are several common ways that water risk manifests itself on campuses. First, there is stormwater: more rainfall can overwhelm drainage and raise the risk of flooding, particularly in areas with limited absorption space due to asphalt, roofs, and compacted soil. Second, there is outdated infrastructure: until a failure manifests itself in the most inconvenient way imaginable, subsurface pipes, valves, and pumps frequently receive less upkeep than visible buildings.
Operational waste comes in third. An ineffective cooling system here, a faulty fixture there, and all of a sudden the institution is footing the bill for water it never really used. The ridiculous thing is that while a toilet flapper stealthily drains water and money in the background, many universities will spend months refining a sustainability report. Water management shouldn't be treated like the backstage personnel, who aren't appreciated until the event ends.
What good campus action looks like
Campuses are not helpless, which is wonderful news. When water management transitions from slogan to system, a number of Canadian colleges have already demonstrated what it looks like in practice. Low-flow fixtures, rainwater collection for irrigation and toilet flushing, cooling tower upgrades, and decreased water consumption in its central utilities plant are all reported by the University of Toronto Mississauga. Underground cisterns are another way that U of T's downtown campus collects rainwater for intelligent irrigation.
Another excellent example is Trent University. In addition to green infrastructure like bioswales, permeable parking, and stormwater features that promote watershed health, it estimates a more than 40% decrease in potable water use since 2007 thanks to conservation efforts and high-efficiency fixtures. Additionally, Western University reported the use of greywater systems, low-flow fixtures, low-irrigation landscaping, real-time metering, and steam condensate recovery, which saved more than 230,000 cubic meters of municipal water in 2024. These are not ornamental actions. These are operational adjustments that increase resilience and lower demand.
Strategies that actually work
The most effective water solutions for Canadian campuses are typically the unglamorous ones that continue to be effective long after the ribbon-cutting pictures have been forgotten. To enable real-time monitoring of buildings and systems, begin with metering and submetering. In residential, eating, and academic facilities, promptly remedy leaks, swap out old fixtures for low-flow replacements, and cut down on needless demand.
Next, focus on site design and stormwater. Campus management of higher rainfall is aided by rain gardens, permeable pavement, green roofs, bioswales, and rainwater harvesting, all of which lower runoff. Next, consider alternatives for non-potable reuse, such as cooling systems, toilet flushing, and irrigation. The idea is straightforward: only use premium drinking water when absolutely necessary. Everything else is out of place and frequently costly.
What this means for campus leaders
Water management is no longer a problem for specialized facilities. It is a problem with resilience, affordability, student experience, and sometimes risk management. Campuses that include water as a component of sustainability planning rather than as an afterthought will be better equipped to deal with future regulatory pressure, utility prices, floods, and droughts.
The practical issue for TGCC is simple: handle water like a strategic asset instead of an invisible utility. This entails having a dialogue with campus planners, finance, procurement, facilities teams, and sustainability personnel. It is rare for one agency to handle water issues on its own. When someone eventually poses the tedious but essential questions before the emergency does, they are resolved.
A practical next step
Start with a water assessment of your most popular buildings, stormwater hotspots, and subterranean infrastructure priority if your school is serious about water resilience. Next, identify the easy repairs, those that require capital planning, and those that may be incorporated into a more comprehensive campus redevelopment. Five years ago was the ideal time to do this. Right now is the second-best time.