Mary Aileen Matheis, Peer Swan, Sean Joyce, Paul Cook, Steven E. LaMar and Douglas Reinhart participate in the commendation. 

Irvine Ranch Water District has commended Irvine City Manager Sean Joyce for his 14 years of service to Irvine.

“He has set a pattern that will move the city forward,” IRWD Director Mary Aileen Matheis said of Joyce, who is retiring this month.

Joyce joined the City of Irvine in July 2004 with more than a decade of experience in city administration. Under his leadership as city manager, Irvine received numerous accolades reflecting the “Best Run City” practices he implemented. That included national recognition of the city's parks system.

IRWD General Manager Paul Cook presented a commendation to Joyce at the Jan. 22 meeting of the District’s Board of Directors.

“It’s been really good to have you at the helm,” IRWD Director Peer Swan told Joyce.

Newport Beach Animal Control Officer Nick Ott recently released this rehabilitated white penguin back to the wild at IRWD’s San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. More than 282 bird species and 121 native plant species are supported within the 321 acres of the Sanctuary. A place of quiet enjoyment, the Sanctuary also contains over 12.3 miles of nature trails for visitors to savor while hiking, bird watching and studying nature. It is free and open to the public from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. For a map and further details, visit irwd.com/san-joaquin-marsh.

Please join us in congratulating the University of California, Irvine, for earning IRWD’s WaterStar Certification. UCI achieved this recognition by implementing a wide array of water-reduction projects, resulting in more than 78 million gallons saved annually.

UCI’s water savings include:

• High-efficiency toilets, showerheads and faucets in dorm rooms – 45 million gallons a year
• Restroom fixture upgrades in academic buildings – 25 million gallons a year
• Replacement of once-through cooling systems – 5 million gallons a year
• Turf replacement and irrigation upgrades – 3.5 million gallons a year

Also, areas irrigated with drinking water have undergone turf conversions and irrigation upgrades. To date, over 159,000 square feet of turf has been removed across campus and replaced with water-effi cient and drought-tolerant plants.

Sunny Lee and Yvonne Margo of IRWD accept the award from Eric Garcia of ehs International

The IRWD Safety and Security team has been granted the 2017 Safety Champion Award from ehs International, Inc. – this is the first time IRWD has received this honor.

ehs International focuses on environmental and occupational health and safety. The voting panel was composed of safety specialists, including a certified industrial hygienist, a certified safety specialist, and construction health and safety technicians. The teams of professionals chose to recognize three companies out of hundreds of other groups.

“Irvine Ranch Water District’s efforts to keep your workplace safe have not gone unnoticed, and for that you deserve recognition,” said Marjorie Del Toro, president and founder of ehs International.

The award is given out annually and distributed during a site visit.

“We are pleased and honored that ehs International recognized the amount of work that goes into training our staff and helping the district be compliant with Cal OSHA,” IRWD District Security and Safety Manager Emilyn Zuniga said.