Gates Protect Irvine Ranch Water District Water Recycling Plant
While weather-watchers awaited the arrival of last week’s storms, crews at the IRWD Michelson Water Recycling Plant installed flood gate panels in one of seven openings placed around the plant.
“We were not at a stage where the gates were required, but thought it would be a good opportunity for training,” said Operations Supervisor Dave Hayden. “The gate was set up in 17 minutes, a new all time record.”
Expansion of the water recycling plant began in the fall of 2009 and construction of the flood wall was included in the project because of possible flooding from adjacent San Diego Creek during storms. It was necessary to drive 3,000 reinforced 50-foot long concrete piles around the perimeter of the plant and the San Joaquin Marsh to stabilize the wall.
The wall includes seven gateways into which gate panels can be installed in the event of the San Diego Creek overflowing its banks. This could put the wastewater treatment plant and the marsh campus in jeopardy of flooding. In addition, raw sewage could dump into the creek during flooding if the treatment plant became inoperable.
Two gates remain in place at the rear of the plant at the boundary of the San Joaquin Marsh.
More information on IRWD construction projects is available on our website.
First Home Depot Event This Weekend
The first of two events geared toward assisting IRWD customers in updating their gardens to use less water is scheduled for Saturday, March 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lake Forest Home Depot store, 20021 Lake Forest Drive.
This is the second consecutive year IRWD and Home Depot have teamed up in this endeavor. The official declaration of drought makes this event especially important. A second event is set for March 22 at the Irvine store located at 6200 Irvine Boulevard.
Present your current customer newsletter, Pipelines, at the IRWD booth at either Home Depot event and receive a special prize.
IRWD customers will:
- Learn from local experts how to plant a water-efficient landscape
- Receive special discounts on water-efficient plants
- Visit vendor displays
- Watch educational demonstrations
- Receive giveaways and more!
Please visit our website to learn gardening tips and to view a gallery of water-friendly plants.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
IRWD Asks Customers to Voluntarily Reduce Water Use by 20 Percent
In response to statewide drought declaration by Governor Brown, the Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors has adopted a resolution asking all IRWD customers to voluntarily reduce their water use by 20%. This voluntary conservation effort will help reduce demand on current statewide water supplies and extend water reserves if the drought continues for an extended period.
“It is important for all Californians to reduce their water use,” said Steve LaMar, President of the IRWD Board of Directors, “While the Southern California region has made substantial infrastructure investments, it is still important that we all do our part to save water. Together we can make a difference.”
For over twenty years, IRWD has made water use efficiency a top priority through the implementation of water efficient practices and programs and the development of alternative water supply resources such as recycled water. The District offers financial incentives to customers to encourage the installation of high efficiency clothes washers and toilets, and turf replacement and continues to engage customers in innovative and creative ways to conserve water through customer communication programs.
IRWD has also made investments which have reduced its reliance on imported water from 62% in 1990 to 22% in 2013, expanded the use of recycled water, increased storage, and invested in water conservation. These investments have not only reduced long-term costs to IRWD’s rate-payers, but have also provided increased water supply reliability for IRWD customers.
While the average daily water use for an IRWD residential customer has fallen from 170 gallons per day in 1991 to approximately 86 gallons per day in 2014, there are still a few things customers can do to save water:
|
How Much Can You Save? |
Estimated Water Savings |
|
Water only when necessary |
1,100 gallons per irrigation cycle |
|
Water before 8am |
25 gallons per day |
|
Check for sprinkler leaks, overspray & broken sprinkler heads |
500 gallons per month |
|
Use a water saving hose nozzle |
Up to 7,500 gallons per year |
|
Use a broom, not a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks |
Up to 150 gallons each time |
|
Install a smart sprinkler irrigation controller (rebate available) |
Up to 40 gallons per irrigation cycle |
|
Place organic mulch in your garden |
Hundreds of gallons per year |
|
Replace thirsty plants with California Friendly plants (rebate available) |
Hundreds of gallons per year |
For more water saving tips and ways to save water and money please visit the IRWD website water savings portal at: http://www.irwd.com/save-water-money.
To learn more about IRWD’s new outside water savings center please visit http://www.irwd.com/CALscape
Up to date information on the California drought can be found at http://www.saveourh2o.org/
Four Science Fair Winners Selected by Irvine Ranch Water District
Four Irvine Unified School District students had their water-related science fair projects selected for honors by Irvine Ranch Water District. The projects were selected during the school district’s annual science fair on February 25.
The students will be honored at the May 27 IRWD Board of Directors meeting. IRWD Water Quality professionals have participated in the school’s science fair since its inception the 1990s. Judging this year were Melinda Bergen, a supervisor in the chemistry section of the IRWD Water Quality Laboratory, and Michele Drzymkowski, Laboratory Quality Assurance/Quality Control.
Students whose projects were selected are:
- Morgan Bibee, grade 10, Woodbridge High School, “Effectiveness of a Coil-Based Water Heating System Through its Ability to Transfer Thermal Energy, Versus a Traditional Water Heating System”
- Sandeep Kambhampati, Grade 9, University high School, “A Novel DNA Electrochemical Biosensor for Detection of Pollution in Water”
- Mary King, grade 6, Canyon View School, “Colored Water: Pet’s Preference”
- Alec Isaacman, grade 6, Stone Creek School, “Osmotic Power”
For more information on the IRWD educational programs, please visit our website.
IRWD Looking for Water Sleuths!
Has your water bill gone through the roof and you have no idea why? Chances are you have a leak. A big culprit is your sprinkler system – 20 percent of a household’s water use is wasted on overwatering and sprinkler over-spray.
Irvine Ranch Water District is hosting a contest for sprinkler leak detectives in honor of Fix a Leak Week March 17-23. Throughout the month of March, submit a photo or short video that showcases your detective skills in leak spotting and we will mail you an IRWD CALscape kit, which includes a water-efficient hose nozzle, rain gauge, garden hose repair kit and moisture meter (while supplies last).
All participants will be entered into a drawing to win a gift card to one of our WaterSense partners: Home Depot or Lowe’s. First prize is valued at $500, second prize at $200 and third prize at $100.
Drop by our offices at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine through March 30 to pick up a sprinkler key to help reduce overspray from sprinklers, while supplies last.
For more information and resources on how to be a “Leak Detective,” visit our website.
Fix a Leak Week is sponsored in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program.
