Engineers from China Visit Irvine Ranch Water District
Irvine Ranch Water District hosted 27 engineers visiting from China and Taiwan on a tour of the Potable Treatment Plant on August 9.
The engineers participated in a weeklong symposium in Los Angeles, which included conferences on the environment and workshops. The Southern California Chinese American Environmental Protection Association organized the symposium. This is the second year IRWD hosted a tour for the group.
The engineers were especially interested in the use of membrane technology to clean groundwater. IRWD has three treatment plants using membranes to clean groundwater for drinking water.
IRWD Engineer Carl Spangenberg made a presentation on the types of membranes IRWD uses and discussed the three treatment plants. A walking tour of the Potable Treatment Plant adjacent to the IRWD administrative office on Waterworks Way was given. This plant went online in 2007 and cleans water from five wells that contain salts from many years of agricultural use.
Other tours during the group’s weeklong stay included the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant in Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach and the Orange County Water District Groundwater Replenishment System.
No Access to Riparian View from Campus Drive Monday-Thursday Afternoon
Vehicular access to the San Joaquin Marsh from the Campus Drive entry to Riparian View will be unavailable Monday through Thursday afternoon because of construction activity in the area.
Access to the Marsh from Campus Drive will resume Thursday. Hikers are encouraged to use the Michelson Drive entry to Riparian View, park their vehicles in the small lot, and use the trails at Gate 13.
“This is a good opportunity for visitors to re-acquaint themselves with Tree Hill, IRWD’s Urban Forest,” said Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager.
More information about our construction projects may be found on our website.
Top Four IRWD Services Help Save Money
The Irvine Ranch Water district offers a variety of services that help customers save money. Here are the top four:
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Home Water Evaluation. Get water fit with your own IRWD personal trainer. For customers with consistently high water bills, a free home water evaluation may help you realize why your water bill is so high. During a home water evaluation, an IRWD employee will visit your home and perform a site inspection with you to analyze your water usage, including indoor and outdoor water use. Your IRWD personal trainer will then give you the tips and steps necessary to determine how to reduce your water usage. Home water evaluations may be scheduled by calling (949) 453-5581.
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Money-Saving Rebates. Did you know that IRWD offers rebates for water-efficient appliances, such a clothes washers ($250), toilets ($100), sprinkler nozzles ($4), and sprinkler controllers ($380)? If you’re in the market for one of these water-efficient devices, visit www.irwd.com and search for rebates to see which devices qualify and how much money you could save on your purchases.
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Variance on Your Water Budget. Every customer is given a water budget every month, based on number of residents, size of landscape, time of year and various other factors. This water budget is the amount of water you are allowed to use every month. When you go over this amount, customers pay an increased rate to accommodate the extra water IRWD must purchase to meet demand. A variance increases your water budget to account for additional occupants, special medical needs, larger landscaped areas, etc. If you think you qualify for an increased water budget, visit our website.
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One-Time Courtesy Adjustment. A one-time courtesy adjustment is available to customers who go over their water budget during one month due to filling a swimming pool or other special circumstances not related to leaks. When an adjustment is made, your water budget is adjusted to reflect the increase in water use for that month, saving you from paying an increased water rate. If you plan on filling your pool or have another special circumstance, call customer Service at (949) 453-5300 for a one-time courtesy adjustment.
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Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
Saving Water Saves Energy
Many Californians know about the importance of saving energy, and many know about the importance of saving water.
But few know about the direct connection between saving both. One of the best ways to save energy inside and outside your own home is to use wa3er more efficiently. For example:
- Letting your faucet run for five minutes takes as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours.
- Heating water for bathing, shaving, cooking and cleaning requires a lot of energy. Homes with electric water heaters spend one-quarter of their electric bill just to heat water. To reduce indoor hot water usage, take shorter showers and wash clothes in cold water.
- On average, the annual energy used to deliver, heat and treat water for only 10 households could power a refrigerator for one year.
Reducing the amount of water that you use in your home not only reduces your energy use, but also your energy bills. When you save water, IRWD is able to reduce the amount of water we need to pump and treat, saving the District both energy and money. These savings are also passed along to our customers, helping to keep IRWD rates among the lowest in Orange County.
IRWD Employee Has Kept the Water Flowing - For 30 Years
Irvine Ranch Water District prides itself on the dedication of the employees who keep the water flowing. There are 14 employees who have logged from 30 to 36 years. They include department directors, principal engineers, water maintenance supervisors, the District secretary, operations supervisors and managers and accountants, to name a few.
The latest employee to reach the 30-year milestone is among those who keep the water flowing – Frank Tessers. He is a Water Maintenance Supervisor in Construction and Repair and oversees a crew of three. They receive the calls in the middle of the night whenever there is an emergency – such as a leak or pipeline break.
They will be seen during the day doing any variety of work to ensure that the IRWD infrastructure maintains its integrity.
Tessers has worked his entire IRWD tenure in Construction and Repair and remains the District’s answer to the Energizer Bunny. After pulling an 18-hour shift for an emergency repair, he can keep going.
“Life is too short to be sitting around,” he said.
Tessers grew up in Huntington Beach, attending high school with future co-worker, John Palomares (who retired from IRWD in 2011 after 33 years). Because he earned so many credits, Tessers graduated early and soon after, he went into the construction business.
In 1983, he was working on a site on Armstrong in Irvine when his old friend, Palomares, drove up for a chat. He informed Tessers there was an opening at IRWD in Construction and Repair and he should apply.
“The construction industry is feast or famine,” Tessers said. “There is a lot more reliability and stability at IRWD.”
He enjoys his job because he is working outside in a different location every day. And there are those challenges – like the standby calls in the middle of the night.
“Sometimes we pull all-nighters,” he said. “But that’s what we’re here for.”
Tessers has always enjoyed cars and restores classics in his spare time. He has 13 vehicles in various stages of repair on his property in Fallbrook. Yes, he commutes to Irvine from Fallbrook every day. His Ranger has 242,000 miles on it – and he keeps it in top shape.
More IRWD information is available at our website.
