Home
/
...
/
Recycled Water Program
/
Michelson Recycling Plant

Michelson Water Recycling Plant: Where nothing is wasted

For more than half a century, the Michelson Water Recycling Plant has been IRWD’s primary source of drought-proof recycled water.

Opened:

1967

Expanded and upgraded:

2008 and 2014

Location:

Irvine

Average daily output:

25 million gallons of recycled water

Capacity:

28 million gallons a day

Process time:

16 hours (from when water enters plant until it leaves plant)

One of two sources of IRWD recycled, along with Los Alisos Water Recycling plant

Every gallon of recycled water saves a gallon of drinking water

No data was found
Storing energy
  • A network of lithium batteries captures inexpensive electricity in off-peak hours.
  • IRWD uses that electricity in peak hours, saving customers money.
  • This also reduces the need for more power plants in the community.
Wasting nothing
  • Organic solids left over from water recycling are piped to the adjacent Biosolids facility.
  • The solids are converted to products loaded with nutrients to help plants grow.
  • Methane gas from the solids provides energy to power the biosolids facility.

How the recycling process works

At the plant, modern technology amplifies a process that occurs naturally. First, gravity settles out the solid particles.
Then the same microorganisms you’d find in lakes and ponds consume dissolved organic matter.
Those helpful microorganisms get to work extra quickly in the optimal conditions of IRWD’s well-maintained aerated treatment basins.
Along with advanced filtration, we use ultraviolet light to deactivate remaining pathogens.
Or the water goes through final disinfection in our chlorine contact tank.
The whole process takes about 16 hours. Once the water meets quality standards, it exits through this 42-inch purple pipe.
It is piped to customers, who use it to water landscape and crops and for other commercial and industrial needs.