The University of the Cordilleras (UC) designs and maintains its campus grounds to use as little potable water as possible. Its landscapes rely on drought-tolerant, locally suitable plants, carefully scheduled irrigation, and recycled water and harvested rainwater instead of city water. The Campus Management Office (CMO) leads this work as part of its water conservation program.

How UC plants for less water

UC’s water-efficient landscaping rests on three practices.

• Drought-tolerant, locally suitable plants: UC selects plant species that tolerate dry periods and suit local growing conditions. Plants adapted to the area need less supplemental watering to stay healthy.
• Scheduled irrigation: Watering is scheduled appropriately, so plants receive what they need without excess runoff or waste.
• Alternative water sources: Where appropriate, UC irrigates landscaping with harvested rainwater and properly treated wastewater rather than potable water.

Baguio City’s cooler temperatures and balanced humidity, which the University already counts as an advantage for energy use, also make it a favorable setting for low-water landscaping.

Where the irrigation water comes from

Campus landscapes draw on two non-potable sources.

• Treated wastewater: The campus Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), with a capacity of 1,200 m³ per day, treats wastewater from toilets, urinals, sinks and lavatories. A final reverse osmosis (RO) stage removes residual impurities so the water can be safely reused.
• Harvested rainwater: A rainwater harvester tank collects rainwater from building rooftops. The water is filtered, stored in non-potable tanks and combined with recycled wastewater.

In 2025, this recycled water supply reached 17,847 m³, used for landscape irrigation and toilet flushing. That equals about 35% of all water used on campus, reducing the University’s draw on the Baguio Water District, which came to 33,087 m³ for the year.

Closing the loop with compost

UC’s landscapes also benefit from campus waste. Housekeeping staff collect organic waste and bring it to the campus vermicomposting area, which produces nutrient-rich compost for gardening and landscaping. In 2025, the campus generated 11 tons of food waste and vegetable peelings and 0.23 tons of leaves and vegetation. Compost improves how soil holds moisture, complementing the University’s water-saving planting.

Water-conscious landscaping supports SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) by conserving potable water. Reusing treated wastewater and composting organic waste support SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Greener, resource-efficient grounds contribute to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Source: Campus Management Office, University of the Cordilleras,