The threat of wildfires has prompted electric utilities throughout California to turn off power temporarily in high-risk areas to reduce the likelihood of a fire starting from power lines and related equipment. But IRWD is ready.

Irvine Ranch Water District is prepared to continue operating during these Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) and other events with the use of backup generators, daily monitoring of local weather, ongoing planning and preparation, and clearly established communication lines with other agencies and first-responders.

If a PSPS is called in your neighborhood, you should see no disruption in your water service.

“IRWD plans ahead for emergencies in everything that we do, making sure that back-up options are available whenever anything goes wrong,” said General Manager Paul Cook.  “IRWD has the expertise and resources in place to continue providing water and sewer services to our customers, even when the power goes out.”

The frequency and intensity of wildfires in California is increasing, with 2018 classified as the worst fire year on record and 14 of the 20 most destructive fires in state history occurring since 2007. Here are some of the steps IRWD takes to be prepared:

Backup generators: Permanent generators are set up at IRWD’s critical facilities, and the District has portable generators that can be moved quickly to where they are needed.

Monitoring: Our staff watches local weather patterns and conditions to anticipate potential problems before they strike.

A plan of action: IRWD has several plans in place to address emergencies. This includes topping off water storage tanks, mobilizing equipment and supplies to where they may be needed, and coordinating with other agencies to evaluate conditions and plan a coordinated response.

Alternative power sources: Several IRWD facilities have alternative sources of power such as solar to help supplement power needs.

Visit irwd.com/home/about-us/public-safety-power-shutoffs for more information and safety tips.

Everything flushed or sent down the drain in IRWD’s service area flows into a 1,100-mile network of sewer pipelines that wind their way to local treatment plants. This wide-ranging system benefits from the cooperation of all of our customers to keep the pipelines flowing smoothly. To recognize businesses that are doing their part, IRWD has launched a Sewer Savvy certification program. That means restaurants are following the proper steps in the kitchen and maintaining grease collectors as they should. Property managers are educating their tenants about what can and cannot go down the drain. Plumbers are alerting IRWD to potential tree roots in laterals that could be pushed into the main and cause blockage. (Your “lateral” is the sewer pipe that runs from your house to the main sewage collection line beneath the street.) Our first six Sewer Savvy honorees are: Thai Café, Caspian Restaurant, Heyer Plumbing, Justin Time Plumbing, Barker & Sons Plumbing, and Property Manager Emily Morris of the Irvine Company’s Parklands Apartment Homes. For more information, visit IRWD.com/services/sewer-savvy.

Do Your Part at Home

Show your savvy at home by keeping these products out of your drains and toilets:

• Fats, oils and grease
• Food scraps
• Diapers
• Feminine products and applicators
• Cotton balls and swabs
• Cleaning wipes (all kinds, even those labeled “flushable”)
• Dental floss
• Medications
• Contact lens

Irvine Ranch Water District won its first United States Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense Award for Excellence in Education and Outreach at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition this month.

Since 2006, IRWD and more than 2,000 other WaterSense partners have helped consumers save more than 3.4 trillion gallons of water. That’s enough to supply all American households for four months, the EPA stated. In addition, WaterSense labeled products have helped to save 462.5 billion kilowatt hours of energy – enough power to serve 44.4 million homes for one year.

“We are so happy to be a part of this water efficiency effort, and thrilled to be recognized as a national leader for education and outreach,” said Nola Hastings, water efficiency supervisor for IRWD.

The District’s award came as a result of its integrated outreach in 2018 via workshops, training, printed materials, and a fall water efficiency campaign.

Its One-Stop Shop direct-install program retrofitted homes with 3,485 WaterSense labeled toilets, 1,499 showerheads, 1,467 faucet aerators, and 667 weather-based irrigation controllers (WBICs).

IRWD’s “See It from Your Lawn's Perspective” campaign used customer water use trends, focus groups, and surveys to target WBIC outreach. This effort garnered more than 28 million impressions through social media and other outreach and contributed to the distributdistribution ofed 1,274 weather-based irrigation controllers.

In addition to workshops on “Rightscaping” and “Control Your Controller,” the wWater dDistrict hosted Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper training for 24 participants.

Last but not least, the District’s Pipelines newsletter features an ongoing “Ask Juan” column, where IRWD’s Juan Garcia, a certified irrigation professional, answers customer questions on efficient irrigation and landscaping.

For more information about IRWD’s efficiency outreach, click here. For more information about WaterSense, click here.

(Photos: IRWD water efficiency specialists Joey Baquerizo and Melody Seesangrit accept the WaterSense award at this month’s conference; and a shot of all national winners for 2019.)

It’s not every day that IRWD workers get to feel like heroes.

But Oct. 5-13 will be different.

That’s when California celebrates Water Professionals Appreciation Week, an annual observance established in 2017 to acknowledge the contributions of some 60,000 people like us, who work in the water industry in our state.

IRWD employees (some of whom are featured in the photo collage above) work in operations and maintenance, engineering, information services, finance and accounting, administration, construction services, field services, loss prevention, sewer collections systems, regulatory compliance, customer service, water efficiency, recycled water, fleet services, facilities, human resources, public affairs, safety, and law.

Water and sewer service are essential to the health and livelihood of a community, and we love making that happen ― together ― everyone doing his or her part to make sure water gets delivered to your showerhead and coffee pot each morning.

And, speaking of heroes, check out the social media post below from Lake Forest Montessori, expressing appreciation for a job well done!

It’s not every day we run into young customers who still believe that driving a big truck makes for the perfect job.

We think it does!

Be a part of the conversation this week: #WeAreCAWater #CAWaterWeek