Sonoma State Combats Water Loss

Sonoma State University

Moen Commercial fixtures helped Sonoma State University to combat the significant water loss it had been experiencing due to worn-out shower heads and valves.

Original plumbing hardware in the locker and shower rooms at Sonoma State University’s (SSU) Physical Education Building needed replacement, and the SSU Facilities Management Plumbing Shop was looking for a cost-effective yet high-quality retrofit. Kevin Davis, SSU lead plumber, proposed researching and developing a time and materials cost savings plan for the showers. Davis turned to Moen Commercial to discuss the proposed retrofit and ultimately chose Moen vandal-resistant showerheads.

The campus added 32 Moen Commercial single-handle pressure-balancing shower valves along with 18 Commercial M-Dura® chrome showerheads in the center’s men’s and women’s locker rooms.

In addition, on an as-needed basis, the university is swapping out worn, leaking plastic shower-valve cartridges with more than 1,000 heavy-duty brass Moen 1222 HD Single-Handle Posi-Temp® replacement cartridges across all of the student housing complexes on campus.

Before switching to the Moen showerheads and valves, the campus was experiencing significant water loss due to leaks from the 40-year-old column showers with their inefficient shower heads and wornout valves. The retrofit proposed by Davis provided an immediate water-savings solution and improved performance.

Water flows through the new showerheads in an engineered-polymer channel for instant, consistent flow, and the spray pattern is designed to maximize force while saving water. The Moen valves were fitted with lever handles that perfectly match the brushed stainless-steel enclosure. In addition to the shower retrofits, Moen’s heavy-duty brass cartridges are being added as needed throughout the campus to replace leaking plastic cartridges.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management November 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • California High School Opens New Classroom Building for 7th-, 8th-Graders

    Santa Rosa City Schools in Santa Rosa, Calif., recently announced the completion of a new classroom building for Piner High School. As the campus transitions to a Junior/Senior High School, the facility will play home to the school’s new population of seventh- and eighth-grade students.

  • Wyoming District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Laramie County School District #1 in Cheyenne, Wy., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Mountain View Elementary School, according to a news release. The facility has an estimated completion date of summer 2028, and it will have the capacity for 650 students in fifth and sixth grade.

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.