Baltimore City libraries, fire stations, City Hall and several other municipal buildings are scheduled for water- and energy-saving upgrades with $2.5 million in federal economic stimulus funds, the city's Department of General Services announced Wednesday. The funds, awarded by the Maryland Department of the Environment, are to be spent on replacing toilets and urinals, retrofitting sinks and showerheads with flow restrictors and installing more energy-efficient hot-water heaters, dishwashers and washing machines. A rainwater collection system also is planned for use in washing fire vehicles, the city said. The city's Board of Estimates awarded a $1.9 million contract Wednesday to Johnson Controls Inc. for the first stage of the work, which is expected to begin later this month.

- Timothy B. Wheeler