Bottled water last year surpassed soda as America’s most popular beverage. It’s a $16-billion-a-year industry, marketing a product that—when purchased one bottle at a time—costs about $6 per gallon, compared to two-tenths of a cent for a gallon of Irvine Ranch Water District tap.

Since both bottled and tap water meet regulatory standards, the choice is a matter of lifestyle, not health.

Here are some facts to consider:

• Tap water is economical and accessible, particularly with a travel bottle.
• 25% of all bottled water is packaged tap water.
• Plastic bottles produce waste: 85 million bottles are manufactured in the U.S. each day.
• Plastic bottles are made from petroleum—1.5 billion barrels every year— and the production and shipping of them burns fossil fuels.

Make the most of your tap water:

• Drink it from a reusable glass or stainless steel travel bottle to reduce waste.
• Keep it in a pitcher in the fridge to chill it and let it breathe.
• Infuse it with slices of cucumber, lemon or berries for a healthy punch.
• If you use a filter, be sure to change it regularly. Carbon-based fi lters are breeding grounds for bacteria.

How clean is our water? Irvine Ranch Water District meets all quality standards set by the state and federal government. Visit irwd.com/water-report to read our annual Water Quality Report, released this month.

At the May 29 board meeting, IRWD staff and board members recognized a group of young students for their top water-related projects in the 2018 Irvine Unified School District Science Fair. Students were awarded certificates and their projects were displayed at the IRWD Sand Canyon office. Read on to learn about the scientific achievements of each of the students.

“Will it Melt?”

By Beverlyn Tsai and Jane Jeon, sixth-graders at Beacon Elementary School

Beverlyn Tsai and Jane Jeon performed research on how salt added to purified water affects the rate at which it melts. They froze and tested five different saturations of salt and timed the rate at which each one melted. Their experiment found that the more salt that was added to water, the faster it would melt. They concluded that useful applications for this finding would be to use salt in defrosting freezer foods and to clear icy roads in winter.

“Nitrate Uptake by Algae”

By Krystal Tran, seventh-grader at South Lake Middle School

As a tropical fish owner, Krystal Tran knew that algae could be harmful to her fish, but she also wondered if it might also provide some healthful qualities to aquatic life. Her research looked into the benefits of algae in removing from water various nitrates (including ammonia) that can harm fish. She tested three types of algae, and measured and tracked nitrate levels in the water to determine that Nannochloropsis oculata — a fast-growing single-celled saltwater algae — removed the highest quantities of ammonia and nitrates from the water. Tran believes the Nannochloropsis oculata algae could be used effectively in treating wastewater.

“The Study of How the Concentration of Acetic Acid in Water Affects Plant Growth in Drought Conditions”

By Chamidu Sagara, freshman at University High School

Chamidu Sagara used pinto bean seeds to test how acetic acid — a substance that triggers a drought response in plants — can be used to help crops tolerate periods of drought. In his experiment, he planted five seeds, and watered them with a solutions containing various concentrations of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% acetic acid. Tracking the plants’ growth over 14 days, his research revealed that the 25% concentration performed best under simulated drought conditions — measuring more than three times the height of the control plant at 11.5 centimeters tall. Sagara believes acetic acid could offer a revolutionary approach to aiding crops during drought. But at this time, he noted, the cost of acetic acid is prohibitively high to be used for that purpose.

“Determining the Minimum Quantity of Moringa oleifera Seed Required to Reduce the Turbidity of Non-Potable Water”

By Jenna Schindele, junior at University High School

Jenna Schindele’s experiment set out to determine the minimum quantity of Moringa oleifera seed powder required to reduce turbidity of non-potable water. The Moringa oleifera is a tree native to northern India, which is also abundant in Southeast Asia, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South America and the Pacific and Caribbean islands. It contains a protein that binds with bacteria to flocculate impurities through the process of neutralization and absorption, followed by sedimentation.

Schindele created 15 test samples, each with different levels of the Moringa oleifera seed powder, and tested each sample for turbidity over time. Her conclusion was that lesser quantities of the seed powder were most effective at improving the turbidity of non-potable water. Recognizing that contaminated water causes more than 500,000 diarrheal deaths each year, Schindele believes the Moringa oleifera stands as a viable option of water treatment to developing countries unable to afford more costly treatments such as reverse-osmosis or chlorination.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT

Public Hearing on Evaluating a Change in the Elections Process for the Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors and Establishing Division Boundaries.

NOTICE is hereby given that the IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT (IRWD) will hold a public hearing, before drawing a draft map or maps of proposed division boundaries, regarding the District’s evaluation of 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 composition of divisions in accordance with Elections Code Section 10010. The purpose of the hearing will be to invite and solicit public comment on the proposed move to by-division elections and the composition of divisions.

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/or public hearing may be obtained by contacting Leslie Bonkowski, District Secretary, at 949-453-5312 or on the IRWD Web site located at irwd.com/about-us/district-election-evaluation-process.

The Board of Directors of IRWD will hold the hearing on Monday evening, June 18, 2018, at 5 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:  June 4, 2018

                                                                        Leslie Bonkowski, District Secretary,

IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT

and the Board of Directors thereof

IRWD recently honored Hoag Hospital Irvine and Chapman University’s Rinker Health Education Campus as WaterStars – Certified Water-Efficient Businesses. Hoag installed low-flow fixtures and faucets and automatic flush valves, uses water-efficient instrument sterilization, and maintains low water use in its cooling towers and boilers. Hoag’s recycled-water drip irrigation system is activated by weather-based controllers. Combined indoor and outdoor conservation measures save Hoag more than five million gallons of water annually. The Rinker campus installed efficient fixtures, swapped turf for drought-tolerant plants, and upgraded to smart weather-based irrigation controllers. Savings: two million gallons per year, with more anticipated as remaining turf is replaced.

Learn all about WaterStar at rightscapenow.com/programs/waterstar-business-recognition.