The National Purchasing Institute has bestowed the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award to IRWD for the twelfth year in a row.

“We are proud to be one of 40 agencies in California to receive this award,” said Tony Mossbarger, IRWD Director of Administrative Services. “The Board of Directors and staff give us the tools to effectively do our jobs.”

In 1995, the National Purchasing Institute established a program designed to recognize organizational excellence in public procurement. The prestigious Achievement of Excellence in Procurement is awarded annually and earned by those organizations that demonstration excellence by obtaining a high score based on standardized criteria.

For more information about purchasing, or doing business with IRWD, please visit our website.

With more than 933 miles of sewer mains, and 14 sewage pump stations conveying millions of gallons of wastewater per day, Irvine Ranch Water District maintains a goal of zero sewer spills, and takes a proactive approach, rather than a reactive to inspection and maintenance of these facilities.

“Wastewater collections systems can be vulnerable to potential failure, with probable impacts to the environment and to public safety,” said Greg Springman, IRWD Collection Systems Manager.

IRWD’s collection system (sewer system) serves a population of 330,000 including all of the city of Irvine, Newport Coast, and portions of Tustin, Lake Forest, Orange and Costa Mesa. It’s important to point out that IRWD does not maintain storm drains, which is a separate system from sewers.

The District has 17 collection system employees who keep the sewer lines flowing, maintain lift stations, manhole covers and respond to emergencies. There is a fleet of specialized vehicles that help workers do their jobs.

Collection system employees use CCTV trucks to monitor various conditions of eight-inch to 60-inch sewer mains using closed circuit television. Employees are able to inspection these sewer mains by inserting an 80-pound brass mechanical tractor, with an attached adjustable camera which resembling a torpedo on wheels. The tractor and camera is then lowered through a manhole opening where it is controlled by an operator,  tethered on a 1,000-foot cable.

The camera travels through the sewer mains while an employee watches the images on a computer screen inside the CCTV truck. Sewer mains are checks for cracks, roots, and any other type of blockages which may occur. Employees also inspect all new sewer mains prior to being placed into service.

Collection system employees also utilize Hydro/Combination Units to cleaning all sewer mains throughout our community. This specialize piece of equipment can carry approximately 1,500 gallons of water, which is pumped through 600 feet of one-inch hose under high-pressure. The high-pressure hose is inserted into the sewer mains through the manhole opening. The high-pressure stream of water scours the pipe walls as it is propelled through the sewer main removing all accumulated debris. Employees also visually inspect the conditions of the manhole structure as well. Special attention is given to inspecting and cleaning sewer mains within shopping centers because of the potential of grease problems from food service establishments.

The collection system must answer to a host of regulatory agencies, including the Santa Ana and San Diego Regional Water Quality Control boards, the county health department, city code enforcement, and potentially, the Department of Fish and Game.

IRWD’s collection system has won the Collection System of the Year award for medium size systems in 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000 from the Santa Ana River Basin Section of the California Water Environment Association. In 1996 and 2000, IRWD went on to win the Collection System of the Year Award for the entire state of California. The award is based on a site inspection, regulatory compliance and evaluation of preventive maintenance programs, corrective maintenance programs, safety programs and procedures, training programs and emergency procedures.

Thirty-six students from all over the Southern California region, including Ben Zolner from the  Irvine Ranch Water District service area, were honored for their creativity at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s annual “Water is Life” student art event on December 13.

“Our staff is like kids with birthday presents when the entries start rolling in,” said Russ Donnelly, Education Unit Manager for MWD.

Ben was a fifth grade student at Lake Forest Elementary when his poster was selected by IRWD as one of five finalists to be sent to MWD for regional judging. IRWD received more than 200 entries. Ben’s poster depicted four ways to conserve water – take five-minute showers, fix leaky faucet, install an artificial lawn and water landscaping at night.

Ben said his inspiration for his poster was the family's artificial turf lawn and that his dad is always reminding him to take five-minute showers.

All 36 posters have been published on the 2013 “Water is Life” Calendar. Ben’s appears on the November page.

This is the 24^th year for the contest, which is sponsored by MWD. Member water agencies, including IRWD, put out the call for poster contest entries from among the schools in their respective service areas. Donnelly said 29 agencies from all over the region participated, the largest number ever.

Beginning in January, the 36 posters will be featured in a traveling art show set up in the lobbies of participating water districts, including IRWD, at a future date. Please visit www.irwd.com for an announcement of the arrival of the student art show.

Seventh and eighth grade students interested in pursuing careers in science and engineering had the opportunity to meet with Irvine Ranch Water District professionals at the Irvine Unified School District’s annual Science Career Options Conference at the University of California, Irvine, on December 18.

Jacob Moeder, a civil engineer for IRWD and Melinda Bergen, an IRWD Water Quality supervisor, spoke to students, explaining the level of education needed to achieve their careers and gave examples of their day-to-day duties.

“Did any of you like building things with Legos, Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys?” Moeder asked the students. “I always liked building things and taking them apart.”

He described the different engineering disciplines and how it takes a collaborative effort to see projects to fruition. And there is always a demand for engineers, he said.

“Everyone has great ideas,” he said. “It’s like playing with the best football team. It’s gratifying.”

He gave a demonstration on settlement, using two similar plates of sand. He placed equal amount of weight on each one, until one of the piles of sand collapsed under the weight. The other stayed upright. How could that be? A single sheet of toilet paper placed just underneath a layer of sand provided enough tensile strength to keep the weights upright.

Before her demonstration, Bergen handed around IRWD’s annual Water Quality Report, explaining that customers always know what is in their water and that it is safe to drink. A student volunteer assisted in a test that determines the presence of chlorine in a sample of ordinary tap water.

Both Moeder and Bergen fielded questions at the end of their presentations. The goal of the conference is to increase student interest and awareness of science-related careers. IRWD has participated in the IUSD Science Careers Options Conference for all 21 years of its existence.

More information about IRWD educational programs is available on our website.