Temporary Fountain Shut Off for Water Conservation
Consistent with Pepperdine's position as a water conservation leader, its ongoing monitoring of the current drought, its actions during past droughts, and Los Angeles County being added to California's drought state of emergency on October 19, 2021, Pepperdine will temporarily shut off its presently active campus fountains by Tuesday, October 26.
The University recognizes that certain campus fountains, whether it be due to their highly-frequented location, proximity to key campus facilities, or their general contribution to an area's atmosphere and aesthetic, play a significant role in curating a welcoming, peaceful environment for our community. We also recognize the State is in the midst of a drought, and, as a leader in water conservation, the importance of utilizing our resources with intentionality. In balancing a host of factors, Pepperdine kept certain fountains turned off, while returning others to service, upon our repopulation of campus this fall and has consistently evaluated this balance throughout the semester to account for evolving conditions.
In light of the semester's progression and all California counties now being included in the drought state of emergency, Pepperdine will shut off its remaining active campus fountains as a visual representation of its commitment to water conservation. The University is uniquely situated in that we possess a comprehensive recycled water system that irrigates 97% of the developed campus (which has conserved billions of gallons of potable water over the years) and preserve over 500 acres of open space, which does not require irrigation, where the unique biodiversity of the Santa Monica Mountains flourishes. Pepperdine, as appropriate, also takes a number of additional conservation measures, including implementing drought-tolerant landscaping, dual flush toilets, low-flow shower heads, and operational refinements to minimize potable water use.
The University will continue acting as a responsible steward of its resources and welcomes you to reach out to the Center for Sustainability with any questions you may have on this item or sustainability at Pepperdine more generally.