Flushing restraints imposed

By: HOLLY ELLINGTON

Posted: 11/8/07

University officials are asking football fans to conserve water at the stadium - especially when they flush.

The University Athletic Association is helping conserve water during home football games by adhering to the old adage "If it's yellow let it mellow..."

"We'll do it for the rest of the home games," Arthur Johnson, associate athletic director for internal operations, said of the new flushing guidelines. Attendants are stationed in Sanford Stadium's restrooms. Men are asked not to flush. The attendants are responsible for flushing urinals and are dressed in red jackets, Johnson said.

The Athletic Association is aiding in the University's water conservation effort, "Every Drop Counts," in reaction to the drought.

"Athletics was looking for ways to conserve and that was their idea," said Kathy Pharr, co-chair of Every Drop Counts and assistant vice president for finance and administration.

Crews are researching to replace old toilets, which use 3.5 gallons of water, for ones that use less than half that amount, 1.6 gallons in the 92,746-person stadium.

Last Saturday, signs were posted in Sanford Stadium reminding fans of the water shortage. Official results for the amount of water saved with the new flushing measures have not yet been determined because past measurements for stadium water usage included irrigation, Johnson said.

"It's hard to gauge how much was saved," Johnson said, "We do feel that something was saved, but there's no way to tell yet."