The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) headquarters was using a large amount of non-potable water each month from the county supply for its cooling towers and irrigation systems, costing $34,400 annually. To reduce water usage and costs, GBI collaborated with McKenney's to develop an alternative water capture system using two 10,000-gallon cisterns fed by an on-site well, condensate from air handlers, and rainwater from the building's roof. This new system is expected to save $20,000 annually and pay for itself within four years, earning a state innovation award. It provides a model for other state agencies to lower non-potable water use and costs.

1. PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Award-Winning Water
Supply System Lowers
Usage and Costs
T
he Georgia Bureau of Investigation
(GBI) headquarters in Decatur
had been coping with high nonpotable water usage and costs to support
systems fed by the county water supply.
In fact, the GBI consumed 1,000,000 gallons
month—costing $34,400 annually. From
this information, they also developed a
b
­ aseline meter reading for the winter months
of just over 140,000 gallons per month.
The source of the additional 230,000 gallons
per month on average was then pinpointed
—the cooling tower make-up
water and ­rrigation systems.
i
To lessen county water usage,
the GBI staff developed an inno­
vative alternative water capture
s
­ ystem and enlisted McKenney’s
engineering expertise and capa­
bilities to implement the system.
It consisted of two cisterns with
10,000-gallon total storage
capacity and an on-site well that
pumps water to the cisterns. In
“ cKenney’s also installed a pump, control addition, the system also tapped
M
into condensate water from air
valves and piping to the cisterns …”
­
handlers in the GBI’s Annex
during a typical hot August. Hoping to
building and diverted rainwater from the
reduce its water usage and its high costs,
b
­ uilding’s roof to the cisterns. ­ cKenney’s
M
the GBI collaborated with McKenney’s to
also installed a pump, control valves and
implement a more feasible, affordable and
p
­ iping to the cisterns to distribute the stored
sustainable solution.
water to the cooling tower make-up and
­irrigation systems.
After several years of monitoring water
usage and carefully analyzing the data, the
With its new non-potable water supply
GBI staff determined that they consumed
s
­ ystem operating successfully, the GBI
an average of 370,000 gallons of water a
expects to achieve $20,000 in cost savings
The content of this document is not intended as an endorsement.
For more information contact McKenney’s at 404-622-5000.
info@mckenneys.com  www.mckenneys.com
McKenney’s, Inc.  1056 Moreland Industrial Boulevard, Atlanta, Georgia 30316
Project Team
žž Owner: Georgia Bureau of
I
­nvestigation and CBRE, Inc.
žž Engineer: McKenney’s, Inc.
The Challenge
žž Calculate water usage
and costs history
žž Pinpoint source of excesses
žž Devise supplemental
water supply solution
The Solution
žž Dig an on-site well and
install storage cisterns
žž Capture condensate and
r
­ ainwater for cisterns
žž Pipe water from cisterns
to cooling tower and
irrigation systems
The Results
žž Cost savings of $20,000 annually
žž Project earned 2013 GASFA
­Innovation Award
žž System payback of four years
annually, which allows the system to pay
for itself in just four years. With such significant results—not only in cost savings but
also reduced environmental impact—the
project earned a 2013 Innovation Award
from the Georgia Association of State Facilities Administrators (GASFA). It also paves
the way for other state agencies with a high
demand for non-­ otable water to enlist a
p
similar solution to lower water use and costs,
provided it has the infrastructure to support
an on-site well and water storage system.
Copyright © 2013 McKenney’s, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
McKenney’s, Inc. and the McKenney’s, Inc. logo are registered trademarks of McKenney’s, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.