Fire threat sparks couple’s landscape transformation
There’s a balance of emotions, living close to the nature of Santiago Canyon.
Since 1992, Gene and Connie Stannard have resided in Portola Hills on the edge of this brushy wilderness — enjoying visits from scrub jays, owls, eagles and woodpeckers, along with the occasional bat, rattlesnake, deer or mountain lion.
Fire has been an unwelcome visitor, ravaging the canyon in 2007, then again in 2017. In 2020, Gene and Connie watched as towering flames whipped and crackled through the brush behind their home, this time storming across the canyon from Whiting Ranch right up to their property line. When the couple later got word that their homeowners insurance was about to be cancelled, they rushed to fire-proof the house and firescape their yard.
They filled out an online application for IRWD’s turf rebate and, after getting the go-ahead from District staff, removed 1,325 square feet of lawn using a sod cutter Gene rented from Home Depot.
The Stannards, who recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, are hard-core do-it-yourselfers, their labors of love frequently acknowledged by neighbors impressed with the heart they put into their transformation.
River rock of various sizes was used to create three dry creek beds on the property, comprising 12,000 pounds of stones large and small that the couple laid, one-by-one, by hand. Berms were built to form contours in the ground to capture rainfall and control irrigation runoff. A variety of succulents — many of which were propagated by Connie — were planted to add color to the landscape.
“We did everything except the drip irrigation,” said Connie.
Gene says he’s frequently asked if he’ll help neighbors with their yards.
“I always say no,” Gene said with a laugh, “but I’ll tell you how.”
His best advice: Be smart and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Visit IRWD.com/landscape for online tools to help with your landscape transformation.
Keep your pipes happy during the holidays
The holiday season is here, which could mean lots of time in the kitchen. Clogged drains can lead to problems you don’t want. To prevent a sewer catastrophe, here are some things to remember.
• Fats, oils and grease — known as FOG — should never be poured down the drain. That includes meat fats, cooking oil, butter and margarine, sauces, soups, dairy products and even baked goods.
• Place leftover grease in containers with lids and throw them away on trash pick-up day.
• Educate early! Check out IRWD’s FOG Song for kids.
For more information about sewers and FOG, go to IRWD.com/fog.
Water quality lab honored for excellence
Irvine Ranch Water District’s state-of-the-art water quality laboratory has been recognized with a Certificate of Excellence for achieving 100% quality data in a study of 742 laboratories.
The certificate is the latest acknowledgement of IRWD’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality drinking water to its customers — by investing in top-tier equipment and staff.
The award was presented by Waters ERA, a laboratory equipment provider serving commercial, research and government labs in more than 80 countries.
IRWD’s Certificate of Excellence identified superior quality of laboratory evaluation in detecting substances such as coliforms, perchlorate, gasoline additives and hexavalent chromium, among other compounds. ERA also recognized IRWD’s lab for achieving acceptable evaluation standards for inorganic constituents, phosphates, metals, nitrite, pH, regulated and unregulated volatiles, and more.
IRWD is vigilant about ensuring the water it delivers to customers meets the quality standards required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water. For more information, visit IRWD.com/waterquality.
Meeting room reservations open for 2024
IRWD is now accepting 2024 calendar reservations for IRWD’s Community Meeting Room and Duck Club, which are available for use by IRWD customers when not required for District business or operations.
The meeting rooms are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis, and may be used no more than once a month per person, residence, group and/or organization, and are subject to certain eligibility requirements.
The Community Meeting Room is available to the public Monday to Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 3 to 10 p.m.
The Duck Club is available for use daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 10 p.m. The Duck Club will not be available during the month of February 2024, due to upgrades.
To reserve a meeting room, visit IRWD.com/community/meeting-rooms. Check the calendar for available dates and review and follow the application instructions, which include an important FAQ (Community Meeting Room, The Duck Club) as well as guidelines for the use of the rooms. Please allow up to five business days for confirmation of your request.
If you have additional questions, email CommunityRelations@IRWD.com.
From blah to beautiful
Couple’s landscape transformation turns humdrum lawn into an enticing oasis
After more than 35 years of parenting and grandparenting, the Hays’ home was best described as well-loved.
A wooden deck was rotting away. The lawn sat unused and uninviting, and a sitting wall — once a makeshift platform for the kids to parade on — created an impenetrable blockade that obstructed both function and design.
So, committed to making the most of their home in the years ahead, the Tustin couple made plans for a landscape renovation: reinventing their yard to create beautiful, livable spaces that make lounging out back their favorite place to be.
They were familiar with IRWD incentives to saving water, and applied for a turf rebate to get started.
Prequalification is important for turf removal, because it allows Irvine Ranch Water District to quantify the amount of lawn removed as a part of the project. (At $5 per square foot, this can lead to considerable savings.)
“The online application makes it really easy,” Linda Hay said. “You can track the progress of your application, and IRWD does a great job of keeping you in the loop and helping you along with way.”
The Hays worked with IRWD Water Efficiency Specialist Jake Loukeh, who made sure the application was on track and provided helpful resources as needed.
“We know the process can seem daunting at first, but we’re here to help people through it,” Loukeh said. “That includes a variety of planning resources for do-it-yourselfers.”
The Hays hired Linda’s rowing teammate, Amy Lawrence, to lay out the landscape design, hire contractors for the work and sum up all materials in one convenient invoice they could submit to cash in on rebates — about $4,000 worth, according to their estimates.
They used California native plants as the focal point of their new landscape: An elegant green-trunked palo verde tree produces a splash of showy yellow blossoms in spring. Several species of succulents provide subtle hints of blended hues and texture to the landscape, and flowering shrubs add a dimension of height with brilliant pops of color throughout the year. A row of vegetable beds, complete with rebate-approved water-efficient drip irrigation, provides healthy, hearty herbs and vegetables throughout the year.
Hardscape features include a recirculating rock fountain that brings harmony to the landscape —doubling as a water source for birds and pollinators — and a fire pit to warm evening conversations with friends and family. Material from the demolition of the original patio slab and walkways was repurposed to fill permeable paths throughout the garden.
In the end, the new landscaping has reduced the couple’s water consumption and their monthly water bill.
“Best of all,” Scott Hay said, “our family and friends like to come over more often to enjoy our beautiful backyard.”
For more information on IRWD’s turf rebate program, visit IRWD.com/turfrebate. Visit IRWD.com/rebates for details on other water-saving incentives.
