Two new dorms on the UT campus will repurpose rain water using a harvesting system.
On Thursday, crews began installing the water storage tanks at the construction site on Andy Holt Avenue. Later, they'll add the pumps, controls and filtration system.
The system will collect rain that falls off the buildings, filter it through the system and then run the water back through the buildings.
"So we're storing the water, detaining it during the rainfall event, and then using it for all the toilet flushes and laundry for about 700 students in these two buildings, and also for your irrigation," said Denis Rochat, president of Rainwater Resources.
After the water is used, it's filtered again and sent into the natural storm water runoff.
The two residence halls are scheduled to be completed in spring of 2019.