Earth Day is Saturday, April 22. The national day was created in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

At IRWD, one of our Guiding Principles states: “We are dedicated to providing, conserving, and maximizing the efficient use and reuse of water and renewable resources to the benefit of our customers and to enhance the environment.”

Being protective of the environment is important every day of the year, but for Earth Day, IRWD will participate in the following Orange County events in Irvine, Newport Beach and Lake Forest:

Celebrate Earth Day with the City of Irvine 

When: April 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: Quail Hill Community Center, Irvine
More information: cityofirvine.org/earthday

Earth Day 2023 is April 22, and this year marks the 53rd anniversary of Celebrate Earth Day. Now is the time to preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods — and together, embody this year's Earth Day theme: Invest in Our Planet. Go to Quail Hill Community Center to enjoy guided hikes, a compost demo, interactive activities offered by the City of Irvine and partner agencies.

Earth Day at the Bay

When: April 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, Newport Beach
More information: newportbay.org/earth-day/

A free family-friendly day full of hands-on arts and crafts, educational activities, and science discovery. Enjoy live music as you explore Adventure Partners’ booths, take a break for a tasty treat at one of the food trucks, and don’t forget to complete the scavenger hunt for prizes and giveaways. 

Earth Day in the Woods

When: April 22, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Where: 25041 Trailview Terrace, Lake Forest
More information: lf2.org/earth-day/

Scheduled events include tree planting, education seminar, and a presentation by the OC Bird of Prey Center. There will also be participant booths at which the relevant experts will be available to dispense valuable information and answer questions. The event will also include food trucks, face painting, volunteer opportunities, crafts, freebies, and more.

BONUS: At-home action items

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a coloring page for this year’s Earth Day that would make for a fun at-home activity: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-04/earthdaysheet_april2022-4.pdf

Browse earthday.org, where you can find myriad ways to celebrate Earth Day, including this 52-item list of activities you can do right now: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/

Make it a lesson! The EPA provides several resources for how to teach environmental issues to students from kindergarten through high school: https://www.epa.gov/students

Drop your water use by installing a WaterSense-labeled irrigation controller! You’ll water smarter, and your water and sewer bill will thank you. Plus: IRWD’s Residential Landscape Tune-up Program provides expert help and covers 50 percent of your repair expenses. Apply at https://www.irwd.com/save-water-money/landscape-irrigation-tuneup-program

IRWD is now accepting 2023 calendar reservations for the Community Meeting Room and Duck Club.

Please visit IRWD.com/community/meeting-rooms to get more information about the meeting rooms and to view the online calendar for available dates and instructions on how to submit your application.

In the context of climate change and historic drought in California, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced $12.2 million in funding for Irvine Ranch Water District’s Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project.

The Bureau of Reclamation grant will support a ten-fold expansion of the reservoir off Portola Parkway north of Irvine, enabling it to store more than 5,000 acre-feet of recycled water (1.6 billion gallons) for landscape irrigation and other uses.

IRWD’s nationally acclaimed recycled water system already accounts for 28% of the water the District delivers. It is one or the reasons IRWD only imports 18% of its water from Northern California and out of state. But the Syphon Reservoir expansion will be a significant enhancement.

“Right now, we cannot store all the recycled water we produce in winter,” IRWD General Manager Paul Cook explained. “The Syphon Reservoir project will give us the capacity to store all the recycled water we produce — so it’s not wasted — and so we have plenty to draw from in summer when demand is high.”

Recycled water is drought-proof, because it is made from water that goes down the drain in customers’ homes. The water undergoes a multi-step treatment process at IRWD’s recycling plants.

Recycled water is not for drinking, but it is vital to the community’s water efficiency because it is reliable, cost effective, and helps keep water bills low. Almost all the public and commercial landscape in IRWD’s service area — including parks, medians, college campuses, homeowners association properties, and golf courses — is irrigated with recycled water. It's also used for cooling towers and for concrete production, composting, and dust control on construction sites.

And every gallon of recycled water saves a gallon of drinking water.

Haaland and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton announced the Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project grant at an Aug. 18 news conference on the construction site of a new IRWD recycled water pumping station in Irvine. The Syphon funding is part of $310 million in WaterSMART Water Recycling and Reuse grants announced as part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“It will take all of us, working together, to address the significant drought conditions and historically low water allocations we face,” Haaland said, praising the Syphon Reservoir project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2028. “Recycled water projects like this provide flexibility for communities and help them stretch their drinking water supplies — bolstering water resources and helping to provide clear, reliable drinking water to people throughout the U.S.”

Learn more

Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project video.

About Irvine Ranch Water District

Guided by the principles of customer service, employee development, resource management and community leadership, Irvine Ranch Water District provides high-quality drinking water, reliable sewage collection and treatment, drought-proof recycled water, and environmentally sound urban runoff treatment. Established in 1961 as an independent special district, IRWD serves a daytime population of 600,000 people in 181 square miles of central Orange County. Visit IRWD.com for more information.

IRWD has invested heavily in projects to create a diverse and reliable supply of water to serve our customers – and that’s never been more visible than now, when local commercial landscapes are staying green because they are irrigated with drought-proof recycled water.

Signs of this resilience are popping up throughout our service area: purple placards proudly identifying properties irrigated with recycled water, which is delivered in pipeline of the same color.

The state recently banned the use of drinking water to irrigate nonfunctional turf grass at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties throughout California. The good news is almost all public and commercial landscape in our service area is irrigated with recycled water. (The ban does not apply to lawns on residential property or turf used for human recreation.)

Because of our resilience, IRWD’s water supply is in good shape – and our communities remain green and beautiful – but we still urge everyone to use water wisely.

For water-saving tips and information about the drought, visit IRWD.com/drought.

Commercial customers can request a recycled water sign for their property here.