As we gather with our families and friends over the holidays to enjoy the delicious food associated with this time of year, IRWD reminds our customers that grease and oils poured down the kitchen drain can have disastrous consequences.

Grease from cooking a holiday turkey, ham or roast poured down the drain is the leading cause of sewer spills. The grease sticks to the sewer pipes and over time builds up to block the entire pipe which can result in sewer ruptures and spills requiring costly clean-ups and repairs. In addition, oil making its way to the water recycling plant can disrupt treatment processes and add to the need for maintenance.

To prevent these problems, here are a few tips for getting rid of your leftover cooking grease:

• Place small amounts of oil and grease in a container with a tight-sealing lid, put the container in a trash bag, tie the bag shut and dispose of it in a trash receptacle.
• Mix cooking oils with an absorbent material, such as coffee grounds, place in a lidded container and put it in the trash.
• If you’re soaking a greasy pan, first pour off grease into a container. Then place paper towels over the drain basket to catch grease and food as you pour the soaking water down the drain.
• Deep fat fryers have become very popular over the past few years and they use a large amount of oil. If you are using one of these, solidify the grease by mixing it with an absorbent material such as cat litter. Or, soak up excess oil with newspaper then place it in the trash.

For more information on IRWD’s Fats, Oils and Grease program, go to www.irwd.com.

Described as being one of “the most respected and hardest working people in the California water conservation field,” IRWD Conservation Manager, Fiona Sanchez has received the 2010 Excellence Award from the California Urban Water Conservation Council.

Sanchez has spent more than 15 years in the water use efficiency field at the local, regional, state and national levels. Since beginning her duties at IRWD in 2003, Sanchez has spearheaded countless programs to help IRWD customers be Always Water Smart. Her efforts have also led to the implementation of many innovative water efficiency and conservation programs for all Californians.

On the state level, Sanchez helped craft the water conservation and efficiency provisions of the historic Delta/Water legislative package signed into law in 2009. This effort provides a road map that is designed to help California meet its long-term water supply needs while encouraging improved water use efficiency throughout the state.

After years managing the IRWD budget based rate structure, which provides IRWD customers with some of the lowest rates and lowest per capita water use in Orange County, Sanchez often lends her expertise to other agencies and cities who are interested in similar programs. Additionally, she has led and participated in a myriad of local and statewide water conservation and use efficiency studies, pilot programs and educational efforts, all of which help IRWD provide innovative water use efficiency programs to our customers.

The California Urban Water Conservation Council was created to increase efficient water use statewide through partnerships among urban water agencies, public interest organizations, and private entities. The CUWCC Excellence Award honors individuals who have made exceptional and inspirational contributions to the promotion and implementation of water use efficiency in California.

To learn more about IRWD’s water conservation and use efficiency programs, please visit www.alwayswatersmart.com.

The Orange County Register recently posted an article suggesting that public agencies such as the Irvine Ranch Water District should raise customer rates by forgoing use of local one percent property taxes. We thought we would take this opportunity to explain to our customers how these  property taxes help keep your water rates among the lowest in Orange County.

IRWD finances the facilities it needs in order to provide water and sewer service to our customers by issuing general obligation bonds, much like you finance your home with a mortgage from the bank. IRWD uses the one percent property taxes received from the state, along with other local property taxes and new connection fee revenue, to make payments on these bonds. This makes sense - property owners directly benefit from the water and wastewater infrastructure and services their property taxes have paid for.

Bonds issued by IRWD are typically used to fund basic water and wastewater infrastructure – which includes projects like reservoirs, groundwater wells, water pipelines, water pump stations, sewage lift stations, sewage treatment and disposal capacity, and sewage collection pipelines. This enormous infrastructure serves about one fifth of Orange County and includes more than 1,100 miles of drinking water pipelines, more than 400 miles of recycled water pipelines, more than 900 miles of sewer pipes, 53 reservoirs, and two large wastewater treatment plants.

In fiscal years 2004-05 and 2005-06, the state grabbed a total of $19.4 million of the District's one percent property tax allocation in a budget-balancing maneuver. The “temporary” taking of that property tax revenue directly resulted in an increase in new service connection fees and local property taxes. Years later, the state still owes IRWD customers $2 million—and the state budget is still a portrait of fiscal chaos.

The Orange County Register article clearly and strongly suggests it would be the responsible thing to do for the state to once again hijack property tax revenue from special districts. As we have illustrated, that would be the opposite of prudent, responsible policy. Such a shift, whether temporary or permanent, would once again result in connection fee and local property tax increases. A permanent redirection of that tax revenue into state coffers could well lead to increased monthly user rates.   

Even when the state takes property tax funds away from local agencies such as IRWD, our customers still continue to pay the same one percent property taxes to the state plus any additional IRWD imposed taxes and fees necessary to pay our infrastructure bond payments.  In the end, this is a roundabout way for the state to quietly raise taxes by forcing IRWD to increase fees and assessments to offset the property tax revenues taken by the state.

Lastly, when IRWD or other local districts use property taxes, taxes are used locally under the watchful eyes of our customers. On the other hand, when the state takes local property taxes the money goes to the state to be spent on programs far removed from local oversight.

To learn more about IRWD finances, please visit our website.

Seventh and eighth graders with interests in science and engineering had the opportunity to hear from IRWD professionals in those fields during the Irvine Unified School District’s annual Science Career Options Conference.  The conference was held at the University of California, Irvine on December 14.

IRWD Water Quality Supervisor Melinda Bergen and engineer Jacob Moeder each made presentations, describing their jobs, the day-to-day work and what education is needed to achieve such careers.

Bergen, dressed in her white laboratory coat and safety glasses, explained that her duties focus on chemistry. She used a student volunteer to demonstrate from a kit how much chlorine was present in a water sample she brought with her. She explained that IRWD’s state-of-the-art Water Quality Lab uses high-tech instrumentation to test samples of both drinking and recycled water.

Moeder, a civil engineer, described the various disciplines of engineering and the types of projects he works on. Using a set of plans as a prop and adding a little humor, he donned “geeky” glasses taped in the middle and handed around an old-fashioned slide rule that belonged to his grandfather.

Bergen and Moeder both said they enjoyed speaking to the students and answering their questions. Giving back to the community is important to IRWD staff. Encouraging students to consider science and engineering as a career helps to accomplish that value.

IRWD has been involved in the IUSD Science Career Options Conference all 19 years of its existence. Approximately 400 students, chosen by their science teachers, attend the conference. The goal of the program is to increase student interest and awareness of science-related careers. In addition to IRWD, professionals from the careers of physics, medicine, medical research, food science, veterinary medicine, wildlife protection, ecology, dentistry, nursing and mechanical engineering participate.

The District has provided free innovative student water education programs since the mid-1970’s. These programs are available to students and teachers from kindergarten through college in any public, private or home school within our service area. From student education programs to resident tours to our exciting education partnerships, IRWD's commitment to community education is boundless.

Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500