Customers enjoy first Community Tour of the year
Nearly 60 community members joined IRWD at its first Community Tour of the year. On Feb. 21, IRWD customers enjoyed walking tours of Michelson Water Recycling Plant and the San Joaquin Marsh while learning about the water recycling process, how IRWD encourages water efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Guests were able to see a live microscope demonstration and interact directly with IRWD staff including operations managers, laboratory scientists, wetlands ecologists and landscaping experts.
“I am currently enrolled in a school course to be a water treatment plant operator, and this is cool to be able to experience in person,” said one guest.
“This tour was great for residents to see all the work IRWD does,” another shared.
IRWD's next Community Tour is March 25; it takes a closer look at the Marsh and how its Natural Treatment System cleans urban runoff.
The District offers free community tours, workshops and nature walks throughout the year. Sign up for the next Community Tour and learn about more upcoming events at IRWD.com/events.
Keeping on top of your garden to-do list this winter
We have had some recent rainy weather as winter wraps up. While January and February are typically our peak months for rain, California's rainy season runs through April. There are important gardening tips you can incorporate into your routine as we say goodbye to this season.
Your garden to-do list:
—Watch your watering: Reduce your watering schedule or turn off your sprinkler controller if it’s raining. Follow our schedule at IRWD.com/wateringguide.
—Smart pruning: Prune trees and shrubs when plants are dormant. Use a mix of water and bleach to clean your tools to prevent transferring disease.
—Fertilize: Closer to spring, start fertilizing your landscape following the NPK formula: nitrogen for green growth, phosphorus for flowers and roots, and potassium for overall health. Try to use organic fertilizers, especially if you have fruit trees.
Gear up for a month of leak-fixing
Every year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency embarks on a weeklong WaterSense campaign focused on fixing leaks inside and outside your home.
IRWD expanded this to include a full month of activities throughout March, including a free workshop for IRWD customers. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss a thing.
—March 1–31: Enter IRWD’s Fix a Leak Sweepstakes for your chance to win Home Depot gift cards. Get started by picking up dye tablets — used to test your toilet for leaks — at IRWD headquarters in Irvine or your local Home Depot. Get sweepstakes details at IRWD.com/fixaleak.
—March 7: Attend our Fix a Leak Workshop to learn how to spot leaks and what to do if you find them. Sign up at IRWD.com/events.
—March 16–22: This is the EPA’s official Fix a Leak Week. Go to epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week for ideas on how to save water.
Notice of March 9 public hearing
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE STATUS OF VACANCIES AND RECRUITMENT
AND RETENTION EFFORTS OF THE IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT
NOTICE is hereby given that the IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT (IRWD) will hold a public hearing, in accordance with Government Code Section 3502.3, regarding the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts undertaken by the District. The purpose of the hearing will be to share information and identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may be hampering hiring; to receive a presentation, if requested, from the employee organization that represents certain District positions; and to invite and solicit public comments on the status of vacancies and the recruitment and retention efforts of the District.
Government Code Section 3502.3 requires IRWD to hold a public hearing on the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts undertaken by the District each fiscal year, and to identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may be hampering hiring.
Additional information about IRWD’s recruitment and retention efforts may be obtained by contacting IRWD’s Human Resources Department at (949) 453-5349, and additional information about this public hearing may be obtained by contacting Kristine Swan, IRWD’s District Secretary, at (949) 453-5300.
The Board of Directors of IRWD will hold the hearing on Monday evening, March 9, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable, in the Board Room of the offices of IRWD located at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Irvine.
Dated: February 23, 2026
Kristine Swan, District Secretary,
IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT
and the Board of Directors thereof
New partnership enhances water resilience for SoCal region
Irvine Ranch Water District and Las Virgenes Municipal Water District increase water supply reliability through mutually beneficial collaboration.
California’s jarring shifts between extreme drought and heavy rains have led many water agencies across the state to explore innovative approaches to water storage. The newest example is a Water Storage and Exchange Program partnership between Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) and Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD).
Through the partnership, LVMWD will have access to a portion of the 50,000 acre-feet of water stored in the IRWD Water Bank for use during an emergency.
The IRWD Water Bank captures and stores water in wet years and times of surplus for use during extreme shortages. Like an emergency savings account for water, LVMWD can withdrawal up to 850 acre-feet of water annually in times of declared emergency restrictions — enough to serve 1,400 average-sized families for up to three years. Roughly half of the 6,000 acre-feet of stored water included in the agreement is available for use by LVMWD and half for IRWD.
“Improving resiliency is the most effective way to prepare for climate-driven impacts on our water supply. This is another important piece of the pie in our overall water supply diversification strategy,” said LVMWD Board President Andy Coradeschi. “Our partnership with IRWD strengthens our ability to prepare for those impacts, is a key component of ensuring continued water reliability for our ratepayers and provides a new tool for responding to threats to our water supply. Regional collaboration is essential for long-term sustainability.”
LVMWD will bear the costs for storage, recovery and delivery of the water supply, and IRWD will provide the storage capacity through its water banking program.
The partnership, approved in January by the LVMWD and IRWD boards of directors, will remain in place for up to 10 years, with opportunities for extension if agreements are renewed.
IRWD’s water banking program, which includes more than 500 acres of groundwater recharge ponds, provides much-needed wet-year storage underground so the water is available to customers and partner agencies in times of water shortage or emergencies.
“California’s groundwater basins can store up to 20 times more water than surface water reservoirs, which is why water agencies up and down the state are working together to establish water banking programs like ours,” IRWD General Manager Paul Cook said. “Water banking allows agencies to share the costs of building and managing these storage basins for long-term sustainability and resilience.”
LVMWD is conducting a Water Supply Diversification Study to determine whether to invest even more into water banking programs, as well as pursuing other potential sources of supply to further bolster resiliency.
LVMWD and IRWD remind their customers that while the agreement provides an added water resource in times of extreme shortage, customers should continue to be mindful of their water use at all times. Conservation must continue to be a California way of life.
