Newport Coast Lift Station Repairs Complete
All repairs have been completed and operations are back to normal at IRWD's Newport Coast Lift Station located on Newport Coast Drive between Vista Ridge Road and Ridge Park Road in Newport Beach. Residents may continue to see IRWD crews on location until Monday, August 23 as they put the finishing touches on repairing the sidewalk, curbs, gutters and pavement.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-550
IRWD Asks For Patience During Construction
As work progresses on the San Diego Creek Flood Protection Improvement wall at the IRWD San Joaquin Marsh located in Irvine, we ask for your patience in taking detours around the construction area.
The Riparian View portion of the road from Campus Drive to the entry gate of the San Joaquin Marsh Campus is off limits to pedestrians and bicyclists while construction of the wall continues. Detour signs have been posted for your safety.
In the marsh, access is limited to portions of the Fledgling Loop Trail. Areas closed off are marked with orange mesh construction barriers. Work on the flood wall is expected to continue until October.
This fall, access to the marsh off Riparian View from Michelson Drive will be temporarily closed and visitors will be directed to use an alternate entrance from Campus Drive during construction.
Please visit www.irwd.com for construction and marsh access information.
Water Recycling Plant Expansion Reaches First Major Milestone
The largest construction project in IRWD’s history, expansion of the Michelson Water Recycling Plant (MWRP) reached a major milestone with completion of the new disinfection facility, which went online in late July. This facility will use sodium hypochlorite, or liquid bleach, as the disinfection agent and last step in the process of producing high-quality, tertiary treated recycled water.
Construction on the MWRP plant expansion began last September. The capacity of the plant will increase from 18 to 28 million gallons per day, producing more recycled water to meet the demands of our growing community.
Expansion includes a new headworks facility, primary clarifier, electrical building, ultra-violet disinfection facility, membrane bioreactor facility and modification to the influent trunk sewer line. Construction is anticipated to be completed in summer 2012.
Expansion of the plant was necessary as the IRWD service area continues to grow. Recycled water accounts for approximately 25 percent of IRWD’s water use and is primarily used is for landscape irrigation of greenbelts, parks, schools, homeowner association common areas, golf courses and agricultural crops. Additional uses are for industrial and commercial needs and toilet flushing in commercial buildings. It is projected that by 2025, the District will need a recycled water production capacity of 33 million gallons per day to meet demands.
IRWD is an established leader in water recycling. Water recycling efforts began in 1966 and by 1967, IRWD was delivering approximately two million gallons of recycled water a day to agricultural users.
Use of recycled water in the community reduces IRWD’s dependence on imported water and by doing so, helps to keep IRWD’s rates among the lowest in Orange County. For more information on recycled water or the expansion project please visit www.irwd.com.
Recycled Water Main Break on Bonita Canyon
IRWD completed the recycled water main break repairs in Bonita Canyon Road near the 73 Freeway and the road has been base paved, restriped and is open. Crews will monitor the roadway for a couple of weeks before completing the final paving and replacing the concrete curb and gutter. IRWD expects these remaining items to occur in early October. For updates, please visit www.irwd.com or call (949) 453-5300.
Monitor Your Landscape Irrigation, Save Water
IRWD makes it easy for customers, property managers and landscapers to save water with its web-based Landscape Water Management Performance Reports,which reflect IRWD’s current water rates and allocations.
This free online tool allows customers to track the efficiency of their irrigation systems by providing information on water use from previous years as related to the percentage of water allocation used. The report shows current use, year-to-date use and over-allocation use penalties, if any.
To sign up for this program, simply follow the link to the login page of the Landscape Water Management Performance Reports, located on the “Tools” page of the “Landscape” section of www.alwayswatersmart.com. Participants in the program will receive a monthly irrigation Performance Report.
Customers benefit from this program by reduced water bills, improved overall health and appearance of landscape, and reduction of urban runoff. Saving water and money has never been easier!
