All that trash that winds up on our shores isn’t necessarily left there by careless beach-goers, it might have been tossed onto the ground many miles away. Then it might have found its way into a storm drain, which eventually empties onto the beach.

This is the premise behind Inner-Coastal Watershed Clean Up Day, now in its 20^th year.

Irvine Ranch Water District will host a clean up site for the 16th consecutive year on Saturday, September 17. Drop by the site on Riparian View, just off Michelson Drive, to do your part in helping the environment. The clean up is slated for 8:30 a.m. to noon and no pre-registration is required.

The site is one of 23 such sites that span the foothills to the coast. IRWD joins forces with Trails 4All, which conceived the idea of Inner-Coastal Watershed Clean Up Day in conjunction with Coastal Clean Up Day 20 years ago.

Over the years, thousands of volunteers have participated in cleaning up more than one million pounds of trash and recyclable materials.

Nearly all of inland Orange County is covered, much of the Coyote Creek Watershed along the Los Angeles and Orange County border, and expansion continues upwards along the greater Santa Ana River Watershed.

While Coastal Clean Up Day focuses on cleaning trash from the beach, Inner-Coastal Watershed Clean Up Day concentrates on getting trash out of the tributaries before it hits the beach. Trash dropped on the street ends up in storm drains and eventually finds itself on the coastline.

IRWD’s site is located off Michelson Drive on Riparian View, adjacent San Diego Creek and the San Joaquin Marsh. Please wear closed-toed flat shoes, hats, sunscreen and insect repellant. The entire family is invited to learn about environmental stewardship and students can receive community service hours for their participation.

More information on IRWD environmental programs is available on our website.

A new, clean machine has found its way into IRWD’s green fleet – a 2016 Vactor Plus 2100 Combination Sewer Cleaner.

The new Vactor was unveiled at the July 11 board meeting. It joins three other Vactors in the Collection Systems fleet and brings with it new technology. For one, it is powered by a single compressed natural gas (CNG) engine, which offers a 24 percent savings on fuel cost – approximately $60,000 over the life of the machine. It replaces a truck that had been in service since 1997.

The single engine reduces maintenance costs, according to John Dayer, manager of fleet operations. It’s also good for the environment – quiet operation and lower emissions. Line cleaning can use recycled or potable water, with separate fill systems to eliminate potential cross contamination.

The addition of a truck using CNG not only adds to IRWD’s green fleet, which includes hybrids, it is the first of eight heavy duty trucks slated to join the fleet using CNG.

“By the end of the year, 25 percent of our fleet will be green,” Dayer said.

Collections Manager Dorien McElroy appreciates the new safety features on the truck, as well as the technology.

“It’s actually a computerized truck,” McElroy said. “It has a chip that can diagnose any problems – just like the new cars.”

Crews operating the like the option of using potable or recycled water. There are recycled water hydrants dotted throughout Irvine, which were originally installed to serve the city’s street-sweeping fleet.

Fire season in Southern California has not been limited to the hot summer and fall months over the past few years. Fires have been reported in winter and spring, as well.

Irvine Ranch Water District customers who live in the foothill and canyon areas are more vulnerable to fires and would benefit from including fire resistant plants in their landscaping plans. Two things many of these plants have in common – they use little water and are attractive.

Below is a small sample of options for homeowners to consider when planting:

• Monkeyflower – this entire species is endorsed for use by the Orange County Fire Authority. Be sure to check out the drought-tolerant varieties.
• California lilac - the California lilac is a large shrub with a dense mass of dark green, one-inch leaves, with dark blue clusters of flowers appearing in spring. It requires good drainage, can tolerate summer water and grows to six feet.
• Autumn sage - nothing evokes California quite like a sage-scented hillside. Beloved by hummingbirds and firefighters alike, the autumn sage is endorsed for use by the Orange County Fire Authority.
• Common yarrow - this appears on fire-resistant lists for the California Native Plant Society and the Orange County Fire Authority.
• French lavender - although not a true California native, this attractive drought-tolerant plant makes fire-resistant lists for Orange County.
• Coast live oak – a handsome shade tree. Round-headed with dense foliage, it grows 20-70 feet tall. It has smooth, dark grey bark, with leathery dark green leaves. It is native to coastal central and Southern California.
• California sycamore - sycamores have delighted generations of Californians, and this particular variety is endorsed for use by the Orange County Fire Authority.
• Toyon - a classic California native, it has white flowers in the summer and berries in the winter. It gets good marks from the Orange County Fire Authority.

For more information about water-efficient planting, check out our website.

During the month of June, IRWD customers proved they remain strongly committed to water conservation by decreasing drinking water consumption 19% from June 2013 water use levels. The savings achieved in June 2016 builds upon the success of last summer when IRWD customers were able to reduce June 2015 water use by 12.3% compared to June 2013.

“We’re very impressed and pleased with June’s results,” said Mary Aileen Matheis, President of the IRWD Board of Directors. “We just can’t say enough good things about the wonderful job that our customers are doing to continue using less water this summer,” added Ms. Matheis.

While water conservation increased in the IRWD service area in June, statewide water savings were slightly reduced for the month. Overall, the state saved about 21% in June 2016 compared to June 2013.

With the optimal planting season approaching quickly, now is a great time for customers to begin planning their fall landscape renovation projects. IRWD continues to offer two turf removal programs that help customers replace their lawns with drought friendly landscapes.

The standard turf removal program offers up to $2 per square foot of lawn removed, while the turnkey turf removal program gives customers the option of having a landscape professional do all the design and installation work for the customer, from start to finish, for a very reasonable net cost of $3 per square foot.

Several upcoming landscape-related workshops will be held to help educate IRWD customers on how to successfully transform their landscapes into thriving, water-efficient outdoor living spaces. 

The Right Plants Workshop
September 14 – 6 to 8 PM
15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine

Learn about what plants are the best options for your water-efficient landscape and how to properly care for them.

Urban Landscape and Garden Education Expo
September 24 – 9 AM to 2 PM
7601 Irvine Blvd in Irvine

Get all the information you need to create a water efficient landscape. Workshops, industry experts, vendors and landscape displays will be on site. Hands-on activities for children and adults will also be offered. 

Fall into Winter Gardening Workshop
September 28 – 6 to 8 PM
15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine

Prepare for the upcoming planting season. Learn about rain water harvesting, creating a plant list, planting considerations, pruning, soils, inspecting your sprinkler system and overall landscape care that will aid you in your gardening efforts.