Mark Your Calendar – Free CALscape Workshops on Tap
If you are interested in creating a water-efficient yard, Irvine Ranch Water District has scheduled workshops to help you get started. The first workshop is January 29, beginning at 6 p.m. at the IRWD headquarters office, 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Irvine in the multi-purpose room.
Other dates for the workshop are March 7 and March 21.
Experts will be on hand to inform you about a California Appropriate Landscape. Signing up for the workshop is easy – just send an email to calscape@irwd.com. Include your name, the number of attendees and which date you would like to attend.
Please visit the IRWD website to learn more about CALscape, the correct plants, equipment and watering schedules.
How the new IRWD Website can help you
Irvine Ranch Water District recently updated its website at www.irwd.com to help improve the customer experience. Here are key updated sections that will save you a phone call by going online:
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How Do I Find?: The How Do I Find? section is your one-stop shop for your water bill. Customer Login gives you complete access to your IRWD account. Under Payment Questions, get answers to all of your water bill questions, such as “What payment options do I have?” and “Why is my bill so high?”
The How Do I Find section also gives you quick access to other services you can do online, such as starting or stopping your service or requesting a variance. Save yourself a phone call and check out all the options online.
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Save Water & Money: This new section of the website is designed to give you all the information you need to save the most water and money on your water bill. Whether you’re a Single-Family Home, Apartment Resident or Business Owner, IRWD has designed sections specifically tailored to your individual needs. Find information on money-saving rebates, proper sprinkler schedules, and gardening advice on CALscape, California-Appropriate Landscaping.
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Rates and Charges: The Rates and Charges section breaks down the Budet Based Rate Structure IRWD uses to calculate your water bill. Learn how your bill is calculated, determine your monthly water budget and more.
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Construction Projects: Want to know the latest information on IRWD construction in your neighborhood? Find out construction timelines, traffic impacts, and more on the IRWD Construction Projects section on our website.
To view the complete updated website, visit www.irwd.com
Transparency Center: IRWD is committed to the customers’ right to expect transparent government and easy-to-access information. The IRWD Transparency Center offers information on District operations, public meetings, and ways to do business with the District.
Irvine Ranch Water District Professionals Discuss Science and Engineering Careers
Donning her white laboratory coat and prescription safety glasses, IRWD laboratory supervisor Mindy Bergen explained to a roomful of seventh graders what it takes to pursue a career in science.
“Stay curious, always ask questions and question the answers,” Bergen said, adding that she received her chemistry degree from UC Irvine, the site of the annual Middle School Science and Career Options Conference on December 17.
She used a student volunteer to demonstrate from a kit how much chlorine was present in a water sample she brought with her. She explained that IRWD’s state-of-the-art Water Quality Lab uses high-tech instrumentation to test samples of both drinking and recycled water.
Bergen was joined by IRWD engineer Barkev Meserlian, who gave a presentation on the nuts and bolts of civil engineering and the level of education it takes for his field.
The Irvine Unified School District has held the annual conference for 22 years, with the goal of increasing student interest and awareness of science-related careers. IRWD has sent representatives to the conference since its inception. In addition to IRWD, professionals from the careers of physics, medicine, medical research, food science, veterinary medicine, wildlife protection, ecology, dentistry, nursing and mechanical engineering participate.
More information about IRWD educational programs is available on our website.
The Gift That Keeps on Giving – Beautiful Garden
Hoping to give a gift that keeps on giving this holiday season? Think about giving a beautiful garden that saves water and lowers your water bills.
Visit www.irwdcalscape.org, a one-stop shop with garden tours and galleries and a searchable plant database with a garden resources section. The planting guide provides helpful tips on how to establish native plants and offers tours of two dozen CALscape gardens found throughout the IRWD service area.
Remove your water-thirsty grass and receive $1.50 per square foot of lawn removed for a minimum of 250 to a maximum of 10,000 square feet.
Irvine Ranch Water District Board Names President, Vice President for 2014
The Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors at its annual organizational meeting December 17 selected Steven E. LaMar to serve as President and Peer Swan to serve as Vice President for 2014.
“I’m looking forward to an exciting 2014,” LaMar said. “We have a lot of things going on.”
LaMar was appointed to the IRWD Board of Directors in February 2009 to fill a board vacancy and was elected to a four-year term in 2010. He served as Board Vice President for 2013 and previously served as Board President in 2011. LaMar currently serves on the Finance and Personnel Committe and the Water Resources and Policy Committee as well as various Ad Hoc Commitees.
LaMar is a water policy and planning expert with more than 20 years of experience on statewide business and industry committees and has directly participated in many major water policy forums. He has served on statewide task forces and advisory committees on drought planning, desalination, the California Bay-Delta, the California Water Plan and on water reliability and conservation issues. LaMar is president and owner of LegiSight, LLC, located in Tustin, CA, and is also a principal for Spinner LaMar Associates since 1993. He has served as a water policy leader in the California Building Industry Association for 20 years.
LaMar has extensive water policy service. He was a member of the California Water Plan 2009 Advisory Committee and a member of the Delta Vision Stakeholders Coordination Group. He was Chair of the Economic Work Group for the 2006 California Landscape Task Force. He served as member of the 2005 State Water Desalination Task Force, the 2000 Governor's Advisory Drought Planning Panel and Chair of the California Building Industry Association's statewide Water Resources Subcommittee and Task Force.
LaMar has been honored for achievements and was the recipient of the 2001 Ernest Hahn Achievement Award from the California Business Properties Association, and the Building Industry Association of Southern California's Gary Anderson Memorial Award. LaMar holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Pittsburg State University and a certificate from the Environmental Management Institute, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency environmental training program administered by the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Jeanne, live in Northwood in Irvine.
Swan was elected to the Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors in 1979. After a term as Vice President of the Board, the Directors elected him President, a position he held from December 1981 until December 1995 and again during 2006. Swan currently serves as chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee and the Water Banking Committee and serves on other standing and ad hoc committees.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
