Recycled Water 101: Keeping Green
Drought-proof beauty
Purple pipe distinguishes IRWD’s recycled water system, but the concept behind it all is green.
- Recycling provides an environmentally sustainable and drought-proof source of water for landscape irrigation, agriculture and business—treating and reusing a precious resource.
- Recycled water keeps our urban landscape lush throughout the year.
- And it saves on irrigation costs for homeowners associations, parks, medians, schools and golf courses
In short, recycled water is what distinguishes our neighborhoods from others that depend on costly imported drinking water to irrigate public parkways and common areas.
Since 1963, Irvine Ranch Water District has been implementing a vision to integrate recycled water into the design of our community. Today, more than 80% of all public and commercial landscape areas in the District are irrigated with recycled water.
More than just sprinklers
Besides landscaping, IRWD promotes many other commercial uses for recycled water to reduce demand on our drinking water sources. It is used in cooling towers, for toilet-fl ushing in commercial buildings, and for industrial applications such as concrete production and composting.
Every gallon of recycled water used for these purposes saves a gallon of drinking water. It’s all about the right water for the right use.
IRWD Prepares for Wildfires, and You Should Too
Summer marks the official start of fire season: a time when heat, dry brush and whipping winds create an incendiary threat to nature, homes and humans.
Irvine Ranch Water District keeps watch to respond to fires and any corresponding loss of power in our service area, patrolling canyon areas and monitoring remote operations. It’s our job to ensure that facilities are protected and that water continues to be delivered to your tap and made available to firefighters battling blazes.
- Pump stations are equipped with automatic backup generators and fuel tanks to keep our water flowing.
- Brush is cleared around remote facilities to protect them from fire.
- IRWD participates in emergency drills with the Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County.
- We provide immediate emergency alerts to customers via CodeRED, a service available via voice mail, email or text.
IRWD customers living in the foothill and canyon areas can help to protect their homes by taking the following actions:
- Create a safety zone around your home by removing dead or dying vegetation.
- Plant drought-tolerant and fire-resistant plants that can serve as a firebreak near your home (monkeyflower, California lilac, autumn sage, common yarrow, French lavender).
- Prepare an emergency escape plan with your family that includes how to respond to any evacuation order.
- Visit ready.gov/wildfires for more tips and precautions.
Sign Up for CodeRED
To receive emergency alerts from IRWD, please sign up for CodeRED at irwd.com/emergency-codered or call 949-453-5300.
IRWD Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. — including more than 6.3 million in California.
Irvine Ranch Water District is honored to recognize how this diversity has enriched Irvine and cities throughout our service area.
Recently, IRWD met with leaders of multicultural organizations for a community breakfast. IRWD General Manager Paul Cook provided an overview of IRWD and its contributions, including recycled water. Leaders at the breakfast represented the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, the Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Lions Club, the Chinese Cultural Center and the Asian Business Association.
IRWD looks forward to more opportunities to interact with local community groups.
Fifth Public Hearing Evaluating Change in IRWD Election Process
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT
Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Final Action on a Transition to Division-Based Elections, and to Consider Adoption fo a Final Map of Division Boundaries and a Sequence of Elections
NOTICE is hereby given that the IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT (IRWD) will hold a public hearing to consider final action on changing the elections process for the IRWD Board of Directors from an at-large method of election to a by-division method of election, and the adoption of a final map of division boundaries and a sequence of elections in accordance with Elections Code Section 10010. The purpose of the hearing will be to invite and solicit public comment on the proposed final division map which has been published by the District and the potential sequence of elections for the directors from each division at different times to provide for staggered terms of office.
The proposed final division map which will be considered at the hearing has been published and made available at www.irwd.com/about-us/district-election-evaluation-process.
IRWD currently uses an at-large method to elect the members of its Board of Directors. The at-large method allows voters from the entire service area to elect each of the five members of the Board of Directors. A by-division method divides a service area into separate divisions and allows the voters in each division to elect a member of the Board of Directors. Additional information on IRWD’s evaluation of by-division elections and the public hearing may be obtained by contacting Leslie Bonkowski, District Secretary at (949)453-5312 or on the IRWD website located at www.irwd.com/about-us/district-election-evaluation-process.
The Board of Directors of IRWD will hold the hearing on Monday evening, May 13, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable, in the Board Room of the offices of IRWD located at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Irvine.
Dated: April 30, 2019
Leslie Bonkowski, District Secretary,
IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT
and the Board of Directors thereof
Clean Car Can Say, ‘I Saved Water’
Car washes have two superpowers. They keep your car sparkly clean. And compared to washing a vehicle with a hose and soapy water, they can save water.
Checkered Flag Express Car Wash in Lake Forest is a star example. The local business was recently honored by IRWD as a certified WaterStar. By employing a water-recirculation system, it uses about 75% less drinking water on average for each vehicle washed, compared to traditional car wash methods. Recirculation technology retrieves water used in the washing process, removes dirt from the water through filtration or treatment systems, then reuses the water on the next wash or subsequent rinse.
A typical traditional car wash uses 50–80 gallons of fresh water per vehicle. Checkered Flag’s system uses fewer than 20, making up the difference with reused water. Thus, one car wash can save more than 6 million gallons of drinking water a year.
The water eventually is released into the sewage collection system—where it is reborn yet again through IRWD’s recycling process.
To find a car wash in your area with a recirculated-water system, watch for ads online, in local papers, and on car wash signs.
