SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 6

Clean Water and Sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

TRU integrates sustainable water management into campus operations and research, promoting conservation and responsible water use across facilities.

Learn more about SDG 6

Discover how TRU advanced this Sustainable Development Goal in 2024/25

Campus Operations

Water Management Plan

TRU’s Water Management Plan guides efforts to reduce campus water consumption through conservation measures such as low-flow fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping and efficient irrigation systems. The plan establishes water reduction targets and supports continuous improvement in water use efficiency across campus operations.

Rainwater Management Guideline

TRU’s Rainwater Management Guideline requires new buildings and major renovations to incorporate rainwater management systems where feasible. The guideline promotes green infrastructure and low-impact development practices that reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality and support sustainable watershed management.

Campus Strategic Sustainability Plan

Water conservation is one of six sustainability priorities identified in TRU’s Campus Strategic Sustainability Plan. The plan includes strategies related to building and landscape water use, water metering, green building requirements, facility operations and infrastructure investment to support long-term reductions in potable water consumption.

Water Bottle Refill Stations

TRU has installed water bottle refill stations throughout campus to encourage the use of reusable water bottles and reduce waste associated with single-use plastics.

Fill it Forward

When you use a reusable beverage container, $0.02 is donated to trusted charitable partners supporting global giving projects.

Explore TRU Water and Wastewater Technology Offerings

With TRU’s Water and Wastewater certificate and diploma programs, develop the skills necessary to accurately monitor water quality and ensure safety standards are met.

Community Partnerships and Outreach

Students from 23 First Nations Comprise Water Treatment Class

More than two dozen Indigenous water and wastewater employees are working toward their diploma at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in a program customized to serve their needs as well as the needs of their 23 communities throughout B.C.

Online Water Program an Opportunity to Support Community

Through a unique online trades program offered for the first time by Thompson Rivers University, students from several First Nations in the region are on a path to give back to their communities as much-needed water treatment operators.

Research and Innovation

Rainwater Research Project

TRU’s Rainwater Research Project is piloting a campus rainwater collection system and evaluating opportunities for rainwater reuse, such as irrigation. By collecting site-specific data and involving students from multiple disciplines, the project supports ongoing research into sustainable water management and future rainwater reuse initiatives.

Kamloops Centre for Water Quality

The Kamloops Centre for Water Quality includes laboratories and classrooms established through a partnership between the City of Kamloops and TRU. The facility supports water quality research, training and education, providing students and researchers with opportunities to work in an operational drinking water treatment facility.