In recognition of its ongoing commitment to open governance and operations, Irvine Ranch Water District has been awarded a renewal of its District Transparency Certificate of Excellence.

“Integrity and service are core values for the IRWD staff — and transparency to our customers is an important element,” General Manager Paul Cook said. “We’re proud to have this certification as a testament to that.” 

To receive the award, IRWD demonstrated completion of essential transparency requirements, including ethics training for all board members, properly conducting open public meetings, and filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the State Controller in a timely manner.

Certification is awarded by the Special District Leadership Foundation, which has promoted excellence in local government since 1999. The foundation created the certificate program to promote public transparency and give agencies an opportunity to showcase their methods of engaging with the public and keeping customers informed.

Key information can be found in IRWD’s Transparency Center, on the Board Meetings webpage, and throughout IRWD.com.

IRWD received its original certification in 2018. Cook said the certificate affirms IRWD’s pledge to be ethical, transparent and accountable.

IRWD has a 60-year history of planning for the future needs of our District. That includes a new proposal to increase the capacity of one of our five reservoirs.

The Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project is an investment to increase the amount of recycled water that can be stored there to meet seasonal and future needs. This will reduce our dependence on costly imported water and make our community more self-sufficient.

Syphon Reservoir will be modernized and upgraded to exceed the latest federal and state standards for design and safety.

The project is undergoing a thorough California Environmental Quality Act review process that includes opportunities for public input and stakeholder engagement.

Click here to review the Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project Draft EIR. Community members have until May 18, 2021, to provide comments. Comments must be submitted in writing, via email at syphonEIR@IRWD.com or by mail to: Irvine Ranch Water District Water Resources & Policy Department 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Irvine, California 92618 Attn: Jo Ann Corey, Environmental Compliance Analyst.

As much as 80% of the trash and pollution we find along our shorelines comes from a variety of inland sources. Cleaning up this debris can help protect species that live in wetland habitats and the ocean.

To continue the tradition of IRWD’s annual San Diego Creek Watershed cleanups during the pandemic, the District is coordinating three virtual volunteer trash cleanup events for local communities.

Residents are encouraged to participate in one or all of the events with their family and/or household members by picking up trash in their neighborhood parks, schools, trails and other public areas.

We are also inviting you to share your cleanup experiences with us! Send photos of you and your crew picking up trash, and include pictures of the largest and most unusual trash that you found. Email your photos to webmaster@IRWD.com and we’ll share them on social media and our website. (By emailing us your cleanup photo, you are authorizing us to use your photo on our website and in social media.)

You can also record your results with the Ocean Conservancy’s global Clean Swell app, which keeps a record of cleanup results around the globe. Clean Swell is downloadable for free on any smart phone app store.

Scheduled dates for the virtual cleanups are listed below, but you can do your part any time between now and July 18.

• · Saturday, April 24
• · Saturday, June 26
• · Saturday, July 17

A few reminders:

• · Be safe at all times and collect trash only in public areas designated for pedestrians.
• · Please wear masks and observe CDC safety guidelines during the cleanup.
• · Bring hand sanitizer and bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated.
• · Please wear closed-toed shoes, sunscreen and hats.

Thank you for doing your part! Let’s work together in keeping our communities and water clean!

IRWD has provided water education programs since the 1970s, and in honor of our 60th anniversary, we celebrate the significant impact our student and community education programs have had on thousands of our customers.

IRWD participates in community partnerships to provide education about the importance of water and environmental sustainability. This includes Sea and Sage Audubon programs, community tours, and school programs such as water awareness poster contests, children’s education festivals, and science fairs.

Since 2007, more than 18,000 students have participated in assemblies and field trips through our partnership with the Discovery Cube Orange County. In 2020, we took our programming online with virtual workshops, presentations, and interactive digital content. Visit IRWD.com/learning/student-education.