Sign ups for our always informative, Always Water Smart resident tours are coming in at a brisk pace. To make sure you are not left off the bus, please sign up today! Tour dates are: Friday, April 1; Saturday, April 9; Friday, April 29; Saturday, May 7 and Saturday, May 21. Registering online is easy and convenient. The tours are a learning experience! To sign up online, click http://www.irwd.com/learning/tours.

Irvine Ranch Water District was formed in 1961 under the provisions of the California Water District Act within the California Water Code in response to the increasing water needs of the region. IRWD initially served mostly agricultural customers. The District was created to secure a water supply for domestic and irrigation use from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). The District’s boundaries encompassed 38,500 acres, roughly from the Santa Ana Freeway to the San Joaquin Hills. Today, IRWD customers total more than 300,000, in an area spanning 181 square miles from the foothills to coastal Orange County.

The first few years were spent getting funding for infrastructure. In 1961 and 1963 the District sold $6.4 million in bonds to help build the San Joaquin Reservoir and the East Orange County Feeder No. 2, a 24-mile pipeline reaching between the MWD Diemer Filtration Plant in Yorba Linda and the San Joaquin Reservoir. By the summer of 1964 the District had nine customers. The District acquired its first major facilities from the Irvine Company’s water system, including some of its reservoirs, various water rights, and two water companies, the Barranca Mutual System and the Francis Mutual System.

In the beginning, IRWD did not provide sewer service and in March 1965 voters authorized the District to collect, treat and dispose of sewage. The first phase of the Michelson Reclamation Plant, today known as the Michelson Water Recycling Plant, was constructed in 1966. Pipelines, reservoirs, wells and treatment plants are only part of the IRWD history. The system would quickly run dry without the expertise and commitment of the District’s employees. IRWD began with a handful of people with an engineering dream. Today the District employs over 300 staff.

IRWD will commemorate its 50-year milestone with a year-long recognition focusing on the many accomplishments and firsts achieved by the District. Each month will spotlight innovative programs that give value to our customers – such as our award-winning conservation program and conservation rate structure, sound financial management, environmental stewardship, historical preservation and state-of-the-art methods for ensuring the quality and reliability of your water.

Please visit www.irwd.com to learn more about the District’s historical roots, major milestones, programs and people that helped shape IRWD into the dynamic, committed, innovative agency it is today.

Irvine Ranch Water District is embarking on a project to become more energy efficient and to reduce its carbon footprint. It takes a significant amount of energy to treat and deliver water, so becoming more energy efficient will ultimately result in IRWD continuing to keep customer water rates low.

“IRWD is not a large contributor to green house gases, but we have identified strategies and developed a plan to make District-wide energy efficiency improvements, reduce green house gas emissions and invest in cost effective renewable energy programs,” said Paul Weghorst, Principal Water Resources Manager for IRWD.

Over the years, IRWD has been a leader in implementing energy efficient programs by developing local water supply projects, promoting use of recycled water, encouraging water conservation and water-use efficiency, installing solar panels on the roof of the IRWD Sand Canyon office building in Irvine, replacing equipment with high efficiency motors and placing efficient lights and motion sensors in offices.

By developing an Energy and Greenhouse Gas Master Plan, IRWD is taking an additional proactive stance in preparing to respond to regulatory requirements such as the California Global Warming and Solutions Act of 2006.  This legislation set a target to significantly reduce green house gas emissions statewide by 2020.

For more information about IRWD environmental programs, please visit our website at www.irwd.com.

Irvine Ranch Water District is installing more than 800 solar panels on the roof of the IRWD Zone 3 drinking water reservoir located north of Irvine Boulevard on Magazine Road. When the panels go online this summer, they will produce enough energy to offset approximately 330,000 kilowatt hours of electricity needed per year.  The energy supplied will be more than half of what is needed to operate the facility. The greenhouse gas reduction equivalent is approximately the same as taking 45 passenger vehicles off the roads for a year.

"This renewable energy project not only cuts energy costs and lowers water bills, but also is a testament to IRWD’s commitment to environmental stewardship.” said Tom Bonkowski, project manager for IRWD.

The seven million gallon circular reservoir was chosen for the project because of its remote location. Only six feet of the reservoir is visible above the ground, the remaining 30 feet is below the ground. The solar panels face south for maximum power generation and are tilted at a 10 degree angle.

For more on the IRWD solar energy programs and environmental stewardship, please visit our website.