PAUL COOK APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER OF IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT

The Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul A. Cook as the District’s General Manager.  IRWD is known as a national leader among water and wastewater agencies for innovative water supply projects, creative water management solutions and ground-breaking water conservation programs.  Cook has served as IRWD Interim General Manager since July 2011 and is a registered civil engineer with over 21 years of experience with water and wastewater systems in the public and private sectors.

“Paul Cook brings a high level of creative leadership, institutional knowledge and industry expertise that will ensure our customers will continue to have a reliable and safe water supply at the lowest possible cost,” said IRWD Board President Steve LaMar.  “We are confident that Paul Cook will continue the tradition of leadership that is the hallmark of the Irvine Ranch Water District. 

“I am honored to be selected by the IRWD Board of Directors for the position of General Manager,” said Paul Cook.  “IRWD is an outstanding agency that provides exemplary service to the communities we serve.  I look forward to working with our excellent team of employees and visionary Board of Directors to further enhance the water resources, environmental stewardship, and customer service that our customers and others have come to expect from IRWD.”

Cook joined IRWD in 2004 as the Assistant General Manager and his responsibilities included the District’s operations, finance, engineering, water quality and administration.  Prior to joining IRWD, Cook served as the Manager of Engineering for Central and West Basin Municipal Water Districts in Carson, California.  There he was responsible for a $350 million, five-year capital improvements program that included one of the largest water recycling projects in the nation.  Cook also served as the District Engineer for Los Alisos Water District in Lake Forest where he developed and implemented projects to improve the operating efficiency of the agency.

In the private sector, Cook held engineering and project management positions with BFI Constructors and Turner Construction Company.  He was responsible for many projects ranging from high-rise office construction to various water treatment, storage, and conveyance projects.  In 2000 he received the Young Engineer of the Year award from the Orange County Engineering Council.

A long-time resident of Irvine, Cook was elected to the Orange County Water District Board of Directors in 2002 to represent communities in Irvine, Tustin and Newport Beach.  As a member of the Board of Directors, Cook was responsible for policies and decision making for the Orange County groundwater basin that supplies water to more than 2.3 million Orange County residents.  He served on the OCWD Board through 2005, including a term as Vice President.

Cook received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from University of Pacific in Stockton, California.  He went on to earn a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from California State University Long Beach and an MBA degree from University of California, Irvine.  Cook is a Registered Professional Civil Engineer.

The Care and Feeding of Fire Hydrants

Customers who notice Irvine Ranch Water District crews working at fire hydrants and see water running into the street may think that the District is ignoring its own water conservation philosophy. This is quite the contrary - the periodic process of “flushing” fire hydrants is an important step in preventive maintenance.

“Although it may appear to waste water, this process is part of a routine maintenance program necessary to maintain the integrity of the water system and to continue delivering the highest quality water possible to our customers,” said John Hills, director of water quality.

Flushing the water system on a routine basis removes sediment from lines and keeps the entire distribution system refreshed. IRWD began this preventive maintenance program in 1993. During the first full cycle it took two years for crews to travel through the entire District flushing hydrants in one neighborhood at a time. IRWD maintains some 900 miles of drinking water lines throughout its service area from the foothills to the ocean.

All fire hydrants and water mains more than 12 inches in diameter are flushed annually. Water mains that are less than 12 inches in diameter are cleaned every three years.

During the flushing procedure, residents in the immediate vicinity of the work might experience a temporary discoloration of their water. This is primarily because of harmless silt and does not affect the safety of the water. Crews post signs in the areas in which they are working to help make customers aware of the preventative maintenance activity. If you experience discoloration in your water after crews have been flushing in your neighborhood, clear the pipes in your home by running all of the water faucets for a minute or two.

More water IRWD quality information is available on our website.

Prudent Financial Planning Results in Low Rates and Safe, Reliable Water Supply

At the Irvine Ranch Water District, our gold standard is more than just a color – it’s a tangible asset, one that provides our customers with a reliable and safe water supply at the lowest possible cost.
This does not happen by accident. It is the result of careful planning, prudent use of resources and the solid creative leadership that is the hallmark of the Irvine Ranch Water District.

Our gold standard for reliability, customer service and low rates often invites questions from our customers, the media and other government agencies.  Some are interested in learning about our innovative approach to water use efficiency or our ability to find and implement new water supply sources for our customers.  Others are curious to learn how IRWD maintains its strong financial position, despite the prolonged economic downturn.  And, there those who just don’t understand that we can do this, and more, and still provide our customers with the lowest rates in Orange County.

There is a simple answer to those questions. At IRWD we don’t live for the present, we plan for the future. Long-range water resource planning has allowed IRWD to develop a diverse water supply, ensuring reliability even when conditions change or systems fail.  Long-range financial planning, similar to a family that regularly sets aside money for a child’s college education, allows IRWD to fund infrastructure replacement projects without dramatic increases in customer rates.  Through our long-range environmental stewardship programs, IRWD operates and maintains state-of-the-art water recycling and urban runoff treatment facilities to protect the communities we serve.

Planning for the future gives our customers today’s gold standard in service and reliability. Our core belief is that we serve the public, which is why we are committed to providing the highest value to our customers in the form of the lowest possible costs on their bill, not just today, but over the long term.

We welcome the questions and are honored to provide our customers with a high level of transparency and easy access to information.  To learn more about the IRWD gold standard of excellence in service visit our website at www.irwd.com.

Aanya Jain’s Poster Published in 2012 Calendar

Irvine Ranch Water District service area student Aanya Jain was among 36 students whose conservation-themed poster was chosen to appear in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s 2012 “Water is Life” calendar.

“With so many talented student artists, it was especially challenging for our team of judges to choose only 36 from a total of 164 awesome pieces of artwork,” said Charlotte Golden of MWD.

Aanya was a fifth grade student at Oak Creek Elementary School in Irvine when her poster was selected by IRWD for participation in the regional contest. IRWD received more than 300 entries and chose five finalists sent to Metropolitan for final judging. Student artists from all over Southern California were honored at Metropolitan on December 7. IRWD has participated in the contest all 23 years of its existence and has had at least one winner each year.

Aanya, now a sixth grader at Oak Creek, said she was inspired to depict a girl in her poster brushing her teeth with the water turned off because she believes people in her age group need that message.

The 36 posters will be featured in a traveling art show set up in the lobbies of participating water districts, including IRWD at a future date. Please visit www.irwd.com for an announcement of the arrival of the student art show.