Baker Solar Project Supports IRWD’s Sustainability Plan
Water and energy are fundamentally linked: Energy is needed to pump, treat and distribute water, and water is used to generate many forms of energy.
In an age when both resources are increasingly scarce, Irvine Ranch Water District is finding ways to supplement the energy needed for its operations.
As a part of that vision, the District has installed 2,360 solar power modules on top of two underground water storage reservoirs at the Baker Water Treatment Plant in Lake Forest.
These panels generate about 1.1 MW of power – enough to serve about 10% of the plant’s energy needs.
The Baker solar project is an important part of IRWD’s Energy and Greenhouse Master Plan and it supports the District's goals to reduce energy use and incorporate sustainability in our approach to operations.
IRWD has several projects completed or nearing completion to help meet this need through renewable energy and energy storage.
Baker Solar Project:
- 2,360 solar modules generating 1 MW of power.
- Installed with a net-zero loading condition to retain structural capacity of the reservoirs.
- Installed at no cost to the District under a Power Purchase Agreement in which IRWD buys back the power at a fixed rate.
Separate from the solar project, The Baker Water Treatment Plant site includes a 1.22 MW battery storage system – part of the District’s broader Energy Storage System, which stores energy for use during peak hours to reduce the cost of purchased electricity.
Energy Storage Project:
- A 7MW/34MWh network of high-efficiency lithium batteries that store energy and provide on-site power to our operations at six locations districtwide.
- When launched in 2018, it was the largest installation of its kind in the nation.
- A battery can absorb whatever power is available, so it can integrate well with renewable sources of energy.
- Energy is stored in the batteries when rates are low and is used during peak demand when electricity costs are high, saving money.
- The stored energy is also made available to Southern California Edison as a Demand Response resource to help provide energy resilience to the grid during periods of high usage.
- Battery arrays like ours offer a tantalizing long-term application, reducing the number of power plants needed to meet peak electricity demand.
Renewable Energy:
Renewable energy is an important part of our Energy and Greenhouse Master Plan.
The District uses solar power to supplement its energy needs. This includes the 1.1 MW array at the Baker Water Treatment Plant, along with:
- A 100 kW solar power array at the District’s Sand Canyon Avenue headquarters, which provides 20% of the building’s energy needs.
- A 250kW system at the District’s Zone 3 reservoir.
These installations, and future renewable projects to come, will be used to support a more sustainable energy program made possible by the energy storage project.
Biosolids & Energy Recovery Facility:
- This project makes efficient and sustainable use of biosolids resulting from the treatment of sewage.
- Organic solids left over from the process are converted into pellets suitable for use as fertilizer or fuel.
- Biogas produced from the digestion process will be harnessed, cleaned and used as fuel for turbines that generate energy to support operations at the plant.
- Heat from the turbines and sludge dryer will help heat the sludge in the digesters for greater efficiency.
- Makes good use of all byproducts from the recycled water process.
Read more about IRWD’s sustainability programs and its Energy and Greenhouse Gas Master Plan.
An aerial view of some of the panels during construction.
Scientist Mo Wise Explains How IRWD Cleans Urban Runoff
Urban runoff from lawns and hard surfaces is a major source of water pollution.
Irvine Ranch Water District uses a Natural Treatment System to remove harmful elements in the water near their source, naturally.
In a recent video podcast with Orange County Coastkeeper, IRWD Wetland Scientist Mo Wise explains how.
Click here to learn more.
Weed All About It! The Dirt is Here!
Looking for garden inspiration? You can find it in “The Dirt,” IRWD’s new electronic newsletter dedicated to promoting beautiful and water-efficient landscapes in our local Southern California climate.
This quarterly publication will provide helpful tips, resources, and ideas — everything you need to know to create a beautiful outdoor retreat with a plant and color palette that gives your yard interest and saves water, too.
Visit rightscapenow.com/the-dirt to view the spring issue and sign up to receive future copies in your email each season.
Refresh Water When Returning to a Closed Building
The COVID-19 pandemic has left many businesses, schools, homes and other buildings unused for weeks. Once people return to these structures, the water needs to be refreshed.
Under normal use, water pipes maintain a chlorine residual that protects public health and aesthetic water quality. Water that sits for a few weeks becomes stagnant.
To restore your building with fresh water, IRWD recommends that you take the following steps:
1. Identify all water taps, toilets, shower and bathtub fixtures, refrigerator/freezers with an icemaker or water supply, drinking fountains, and any other source of potable water.
2. Turn on all the water taps with drains simultaneously for 10-15 minutes. (Make sure to check that each drain is working properly).
3. While the taps are running with fresh water, flush each toilet to refresh the water tank and empty the old water from the toilet bowl.
4. Dump any old ice in the refrigerator/freezer, and continue to remove the new ice for 3-5 cycles. Run the water from the refrigerator dispenser to refill the water line to the refrigerator.
5. If the hot water has a sulfur smell or other odor, consider draining your water heater before use. (Follow manufacturers' directions carefully for safety and protection from water damage.) And make sure your water heater is set to at least 140°F.
6. Don't forget to check that all water taps have been turned off after flushing.
With these simple steps, you can restore fresh water to your building.
Refreshing the water will also refill drain traps that may have dried out due to evaporation. If your drain is producing an odor, adding water to the drain will fill the trap and create a barrier to prevent sewer gases from entering your home.
IRWD's water supply has continued to meet all state and federal requirements to ensure safe drinking water for our community. For more information, please contact Customer Service at CustomerService@irwd.com or 949-453-5500.
To learn more about health issues related to stagnant water and how to ensure your building is safe, read Guidance for Building Water Systems from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dave Paulson Named Operator of the Year for the U.S.
He was best in the Southwest last year. Now he’s best in the nation.
Operations Supervisor Dave Paulson has been named the American Membrane Technology Association’s Operator of the Year, after receiving the Southwest Membrane Operator Association Chapter’s Operator of the Year Award in 2019.
Both honors were presented in recognition of Paulson’s many contributions to the field, as demonstrated through his work at IRWD.
“We are incredibly proud that Dave was recognized with this award,” General Manager Paul Cook said. “This is a really big deal, and well deserved.”
Paulson passed the accolades on to his team. “They’re the reason this department looks good,” he said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be successful.”
IRWD colleague Carl Spangenberg nominated Paulson for the award based on Dave’s work overseeing daily operations of three membrane treatment plants, (DATS, Wells 21/22 Desalter, and Irvine Desalter); 18 reservoir management systems; two disinfection booster stations; and the Shallow Groundwater Unit that is central to the El Toro Groundwater Remediation Facility.
Among Dave’s many contributions to the successful operation of IRWD’s water treatment facilities, standout accomplishments include the following:
- Identifying the use of alternative anti-scalants that reduced operating costs and enabled longer operating times at IRWD membrane plants;
- Creating a “reverse flush” clean-in-place method that has been implemented to improve the performance and efficiency of membrane filters;
- Upgrading ammonia tank level monitoring systems to an automated radar transmitter method that reduces exposure of ammonia vapor to operators;
- Developing a filing and labeling system for chemical deliveries to better manage inventory and supply; and
- Development of new patrol sheets and other administrative processes that enhance daily operations.
“Dave is a problem-solver and leads by example and action,” Spangenberg said. “While under Dave’s supervision, the District has experienced no lost time at all three membrane plants. Dave always puts safety first when it comes to the daily operation activities.”
Paulson spent 10 years trying to get into the water industry, but the idea of water as a career came to him much earlier. At age 15 or 16, he was sitting out front in his yard one day, when he noticed the water meter reader making stops along his street.
“The guy had shorts on, and he was working outdoors,” Paulson said. “I thought, ‘That seems like a good job for me.’”
He worked in plumbing for a while, then finally landed a job as a meter reader at Trabuco Canyon Water District. He came to IRWD in 2011, first as an Operator II, then worked his way through the ranks to Water Operator III, then to Water Operations Supervisor.
During that time, he earned his Grade 5 Distribution Certificate, his Grade 4 Water Treatment Certificate, associate’s degrees in water treatment and water science distribution, and a bachelor’s degree in public administration, which he said gives him a broad understanding of how public agencies work.
“I think we all feel lucky to be here at Irvine Ranch Water District,” Paulson said. “I see all these great things happening, and I’m just grateful and humbled to be a part of it.”
This isn’t the first time a member of the IRWD Team has received the American Membrane Technology Association’s Operator of the Year award. Former Water Operations Supervisor Wayne Wright received the award in 2010.
(In photo above, IRWD General Manager Paul Cook, Executive Director of Operations Wendy Chambers, and Operations Manager Ken Pfister celebrate Paulson's award with him at the Potable Treatment Plant, where masks are being worn as a COVID-19 safety measure.)
