855773667-LEED-v5-O-M-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 098

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Potable water sources include municipally supplied potable water, well water, groundwater, and water from naturally occurring surface bodies of water (such as streams, lakes, or rivers), even if not treated to potable drinking water standards.

Alternative water sources include water from other than potable water sources, including municipally supplied reclaimed wastewater (“purple pipe” water), gray water, rainwater, stormwater, treated seawater, water recovered from condensate, foundation dewatering water, treated blowdown from process water, reverse osmosis reject water, and other recycled water sources. On-site water treatment systems may also contribute as an alternative water source. If alternative water sources are used, these must be metered separately from municipally supplied potable water.

Report total project water consumption to USGBC annually, at a minimum, for all water within the building and associated grounds. Provide data access to facility managers, operations managers, tenants, and/or other appropriate person(s).

Identifying all Water Sources and Meters

Meters must be installed and function properly to capture water usage from all potable water sources and alternative water sources within the building and associated grounds. Ensure all water end uses in the building and the project site have been accounted for, such as water used for plumbing fixtures, cooling towers, laundry facilities, dishwashers, indoor and outdoor water features, irrigation, and other building and site processes.

Teams must identify whether multiple sources of potable water or alternative water are used within the project boundary. A single meter per water source can meet the requirement if the existing meters (or newly installed meters) have proper placement within the system. Otherwise, a combination of utility or whole project water use and alternative water meter(s) can meet the requirements.

There are no requirements for the type of meter except that the meter must be permanent, and the data must be accessible to the facility manager and/or tenant(s). Utility-owned meters and project-owned meters may be used. For projects located on a campus, campus-level metering for irrigation meets the prerequisite requirements.

Tracking and reporting Demonstrate that the facility manager and/or tenant(s) responsible for tracking and reporting water consumption data can access the data from the utility-owned meter, either through visual readings or utility bill(s). If projects cannot demonstrate access through direct, visual readings,

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Operations and Maintenance, April 2025 Launch Edition 88