28 May Historic, Local Church Retrofits for Water Conservation

After decades of turning “off” the iconic fountain at historic First Baptist Church of Austin’s downtown plaza, the church recently upgraded its fountain to a smarter design that exemplifies excellent water conservation.

The improved fountain is in full compliance with City of Austin Stage 2 Water Conservation Code measures. Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Paynter will lead a brief dedication ceremony, Sunday, June 1^st. All are welcome to join in the celebration of First Austin’s iconic and inviting, water-recycling fountain.

Thanks to generous donations of church members and the efforts of First Austin’s green team, properties committee, volunteers, and staff, water in the new fountain now flows from beautiful ceramic pots onto a gravel deck, and disappears into a storage tank below, housed by the original fountain base. The new fountain’s retrofit both re-circulates water and reduces water loss by evaporation.

FBC’s new fountain has been retrofitted

with a design that re-circulates water.

One of the greenest churches in Central Texas, First Austin was recognized this year with a platinum certification award from the City of Austin’s Green Business Leaders Program. At the time of the award, only two of the 52 business leaders recognized were churches – First Baptist Church and St. David’s Episcopal Church.

To achieve the program’s coveted platinum status, seven areas of sustainability were scored including: waste, transportation, water, energy, employee health, and participation within the community. First Austin’s congregation promotes recycling, and environmental education on topics such as drought awareness and water conservation. Their facility has made significant energy, water, and resource efficiency improvements during the last five years, and recently switched to 100% wind power.

Sue Searles, chair of the First Austin Green Team said the steps the church have been taking were not just to be a platinum certified leader, “it was things we needed to do as a smart and conscientious congregation. All of the projects we were awarded were in place before we even knew the award existed. We do believe our ongoing green efforts will attract people who are drawn to an environmentally sensitive group of Christians and we are proud to join the group of platinum certified green business leaders in Austin.”

Even though retrofitting the fountain may seem to be a small effort in conserving our water, Mrs. Searles emphasized the power of multiplying that effort by a lot of individual efforts, all working together to be good community stewards. Speaking as a Christian, Sue says, “God put Adam in the Garden to tend it, and that's our job as well. We only have one Earth and we must take care of it." 

Sue Searles, Anita Gordon, Bob Thompson, Linda Thompson, and other members
of the FBC Green Team present their Green Business award to their congregation. 

First Baptist Church of Austin is located at 901 Trinity Street in downtown Austin. First Austin has been sharing compassion and hope since 1847. Grounded in a tradition of theological inquiry and freedom, First Austin is a mission-oriented church with members from all corners of the Austin metropolitan area. Learn more about First Austin at www.fbcaustin.org and via facebook.com/FBCAustin. 

By DeNae Brassard Lee (First Austin) and Chris Searles (Interfaith Environmental Network of Austin)

Want to know more about Interfaith Environmental Network? Check out our: website, facebook, twitter, linkedin.