The EPLab in Talbot Laboratory Building was established in 1989. Major equipment in this laboratory consists of rough vacuum pumps and compressors for high vacuum pumps, all of which require cooling water. At the time of original installation, creation, and setup of this laboratory, equipment was connected to water from the Urbana city water connection and disposed of in an open drain. New and upgraded equipment added to the laboratory continues to use this water connection and disposal method. A recent (2021) audit of water usage in Talbot Laboratory found that this space uses on average $1900/mo in Urbana city water, which equates to approximately 317,000 gallons/mo. This is almost half of the average monthly water use for the entire Talbot building (734 kgal/mo).

This proposal directly funds:
- F&S Formal Quote: $1,500.00
- F&S Costs to Connect to Building Chilled Water: $78,500.00