Water resilience pays off in dry times
While 2021 and 2022 have been critically dry in California, Irvine Ranch Water District is well-positioned to weather these conditions for several years.
We’re in good shape. But saving water is something to always strive for – rain or shine – and IRWD remains at your service with rebates, workshops, and tips to help.
Because of our long history of investing in new and drought-proof sources of water — and thanks to you, our customers, using water wisely — we are able to fully meet the water needs of our community.
IRWD has created one of the most diverse water supply portfolios in California, with investments in groundwater wells, groundwater treatment systems, local water runoff capture, water banking, and one of the most extensive water recycling systems in the nation.
Our water-budget-based rate structure encourages efficient water use. We also offer ongoing programs and information to give customers the tools they need to save water.
Because of all that, IRWD imports only 18% of our water from outside our immediate area. That means we don’t rely heavily on water from Northern California, where the effects of the current drought are most severe.
Water, like money in the bank, should always be spent wisely. Don’t waste a good thing.
We are in this together, and we all need to continue to do our part to reduce water use where we can. For the latest on IRWD water-efficiency programs, tools and rebates available, visit RightScape.com.
(Photo above: Recycled water keeps our communities green and beautiful.)
Compost, mulch, and summer essentials
Take some time in these summer months to do some garden maintenance. If you have fruit trees, be sure to remove any diseased or dead branches because pruning can help prevent pest infestations. Do transplanting in the late afternoon or evening so that plants have time to recover during the evening before soaking up morning rays. Find more gardening advice for this season in the newest edition of The Dirt at RightScape.com/the-dirt.
Time takes outreach from paper to digital
IRWD uses a variety of communication tools to build relationships with our customers and keep them informed. It started in the 1970s, with a one-page newsletter mailed with billing statements to keep customers updated on District news and events.
In the 1990s, a seasonal water education newsletter was born. Local teachers used it to share information with their students about poster contests, science fairs and fun facts about water. Also in the ’90s, water efficiency was a hot topic due to growing concerns of drought, and IRWD revamped its one-page newsletter to include information on water saving ideas, resources and rebates – a precursor to what is now our monthly Pipelines newsletter.
A special legislative issue of Pipelines in 2006 earned celebrity status with a story on synthetic turf that was part of the PBS video series, “California’s Water” with Huell Howser.
Today, much of IRWD’s outreach is digital: with the District websites IRWD.com and RightScape.com, Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, Instagram, videos on YouTube and Vimeo, and customer emails.
In our everchanging world, IRWD has made it a practice to ensure District news and information makes it way to you, our customers. To access our Pipelines archive, visit IRWD.com/learning/newsletters.
Photo: Huell Howser with IRWD staff during a taping of “California’s Water” in 2006.
2021 Water Quality Report
IRWD water meets all the exacting quality standards set by the state and federal government. Visit IRWD.com/water-report to read or request a copy of the new annual Water Quality Report, released this month.
Check out the video "Journey of a Water Sample: How We Safeguard Your Water."
IRWD’s purple reign began in 1960s
One of the proudest achievements in IRWD’s 60-year history has been the leadership role the District has played in the use of recycled water. It started in 1963, when the Board of Directors implemented a vision to integrate water recycling into the design of our community.
Four years later, the Michelson Water Recycling Plant was completed, distributing recycled water to customers through a network that has grown to include two treatment plants, four recycled water reservoirs, 570 miles of pipeline, 6,000 metered connections, more than 125 dual-plumbed buildings, and the production of more than 25 million gallons of recycled water per day.
IRWD pioneered the use of purple pipe in the 1980s to distinguish recycled water from drinking water pipeline, and now “Irvine Purple” is the universal symbol for recycled water.
Recycled water meets about 27% of IRWD’s total water demands. About 85% of the public and commercial irrigated landscape in our service area—parks, medians, golf courses and community association properties—is watered with recycled water.
Recycled water is also used for toilet flushing and cooling towers in commercial buildings. Hyatt House Irvine was the first dual-plumbed hotel in California to use recycled water for flushing toilets in guest rooms. IRWD recycled water is also used to make the ice at the Great Park Ice and FivePoint Arena.
Water is too precious to use once. By recycling it, our community saves billions of gallons of drinking water annually.
- Watch our video and learn more at IRWD.com/recycledwater.
- Read the Purple Pipe Origin Story.
