Jaxon Troast ’27, The Eco Engineer of EC

“Water is a finite resource and people don’t realize how finite it is,” said Jaxon Troast ’27, an Environmental Science and Mathematics major. Currently, he’s working to address this issue by developing a sustainable plumbing system for the Elmira College Sustainability House, an on-campus residence that will eventually serve as a meeting hub for those interested in sustainability.

Troast is an Elmira College Sustainability Scholarship recipient, referred to as a Sustainability Leader. As part of the scholarship, four Leaders, one from each class year, complete a personal project to advance sustainability on campus. They also complete a group project, typically related to renovations of the Sustainability House, an older house that sits on the edge of campus. The house is a testing ground for putting sustainable renovations into practice. Both of Troast’s projects center on renovations to the House.

“I’m a plumber by trade back home,” he shared. “I was thinking about what skills I have and what fits me, like my love for using my hands and doing physical work.”

As Troast learned about the Sustainability House, his interests were piqued. The building currently doesn’t have running water, and that was an opening for experimentation.

The Elmira College Sustainability House is located close to a community garden on the campus.

Troast grew up learning about the importance of water and how essential it is to manage the resource responsibly. His aunt, Eenika Cruz, is with the Orange County Water Authority. In his youth, Troast accompanied her to the Earth and Water Festival in Goshen, New York, which his aunt organized. He learned from vendors about new conservation methods.

When Troast learned that fellow Leader Ashton Craver ’25 had installed a rain barrel, the idea of building a larger water system began to take shape. He got to thinking how, given his plumbing background, he could create a more sustainable water system in the Sustainability House.

“I’ve seen videos of compost systems where the toilets are used and the grey water flows into a garden filtration system that purifies the water and fertilizes gardens. With the rain barrel already set up, it got me thinking. I thought, ‘What if you did the opposite of a compost system and use the rain barrel water to flush toilets?’”

The benefit of Troast’s design is that it reduces the use of filtered water, which is necessary for drinking and cooking. The process to filter water can be costly, so leveraging rainwater to flush toilets can reduce a home’s water bill and reduce the strain on the municipal water supply.

Troast worked out a design that would allow homeowners to switch back and forth between the collected rainwater and city water in the case of a drought.

“My goal was to pipe the water from the rain barrel outside into a barrel in the basement, which can then get piped to both bathrooms upstairs in the Sustainability House,” explained Troast.

Jaxon Troast '27 measures where a collection barrel can fit in the Sustainability House basement. The rain barrel outside the house will feed into the barrel in the basement, and then the water will get pumped into the bathrooms in the upper floors of the house.

While Troast made progress, it was often slow going as he waited for parts.

“The hard part is getting the supplies, including solder, a torch, and copper. The materials cost can be high. I’ve been working with EC’s Buildings and Grounds, and they have been generous with materials. I’ve been very thankful for everything they have given me so far.”

Troast would also like to add a filtration system, which could effectively close the system, making it so the water can be used in the nearby community garden. However, that is costly and will depend on donations and funding.

Yet, ever resourceful, Troast has managed with the materials he has been able to secure so far. He’s also seeking help from the EC Community and beyond. For example, Dr. Kelly J. Smith, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, has pledged to donate some materials. Also, the man who trained Troast in plumbing, Blake Nelson, owner of Blake’s Plumbing and Heating in Rock Tavern, New York, supplied Troast with many tools and promised to lend him a pressure gauge to see if there are any burst pipes or water leaks in the house. That will be important to evaluate the system before turning the water back on.

As Troast pushes ahead, he’s learning a lot and is excited to use his role as a Sustainability Leader to help him determine his career future. He’s currently weighing several options, including getting a master’s degree in hydrology and then teaching.

“I love demonstrating to people how things work, like how the environment isn’t just what surrounds us but what it’s made of,” he shared.

Troast is also considering working for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation or continuing as a plumber and marketing his sustainable approaches to more homeowners.

“Something I’ve always loved is being able to manipulate systems,” he elaborated. “I like to make them fit better for me and others. I hope to implement this system in my home someday and model how to decrease your carbon footprint. This system saves money on the water bill and helps keep the planet alive a little longer. I hope to help others use only the natural resources they have to.”

With hands-on experience already under his belt, Troast is laying the foundation for a career that blends practical skill with purpose. No matter which path he chooses, his role as a Sustainability Leader will ensure he moves forward with confidence.