The California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association presented Irvine Ranch Water District with the Outstanding Energy Management Award for 2012 at its fall conference in San Diego on October 9. The Green House Gas Master Plan was highlighted by the award.

“This award recognizes a utility with the commitment to make the efficient use of energy a main priority,” said Chet Malewski, section awards chair for AWWA. “The criteria for this award are stringent, so very few utilities are so honored.”

IRWD embarked on an ambitious project to decrease its energy use and carbon footprint by developing an energy and greenhouse gas master plan three years ago. The IRWD Board of Directors had recommended commission of such a plan at a strategic planning session. The plan was completed this past summer.

By developing an energy and green house gas master plan, IRWD took a proactive stance to reduce energy use and complying with AB 32, the state Global Warming and Solutions Act of 2006. The bill set a target to significantly reduce green house gas emissions statewide by 2020.

IRWD staff and the consultants toured various facilities in to prepare for developing the plan. Over the years, IRWD has taken steps to be energy efficient and reducing green house gas by encouraging conservation, developing local groundwater supplies, installing nearly 700 solar panels on the roof of the Sand Canyon office building, placing 832 solar panels on the top of a drinking water reservoir, replacing equipment with high efficiency motors and placing LED lights and motion sensors in offices.

For more information on our environmental plans, please visit our website.

Broken sprinkler heads can cause significant amounts of water loss over time. Maintaining sprinkler heads in good operating condition requires a regular monitoring plan.

“Mowing the lawn, children playing and accidents are all likely causes for your sprinkler heads to get damaged,” said Irvine Ranch Water District Senior Conservation Specialist Nick Mrvos. “It’s not only the mini-geyser leaks that need to be repaired, but also those sprinklers that are turned in the wrong direction, or that sprinkler head which turns into a bubbler over night.”

Often, broken sprinklers go unnoticed because many times they are timed to operate during the early morning hours before anyone is aware of a problem. Because more than half of residential water usage comes from yards, it makes sense to periodically check sprinkler systems to identify leaks or damage.

This type of vigilance could save large quantities of water and help lower water bills. A broken sprinkler can waste close to 100 gallons of water per 10-minute cycle, which adds up to thousands of gallons of water per billing period. Broken sprinklers can also damage landscapes and property, which can also add up to significantly higher costs.

To further save money, check out the rebates offered on rotating sprays nozzles on our website.

Cheryl Clary appointed as Executive Director of Finance and Administration

Cheryl Clary has been appointed as the Irvine Ranch Water District Executive Director of Finance and Administration. As a member of the IRWD team, Clary will be responsible for overseeing IRWD finance and treasury operations, including a combined 2012/13 operating and capital budget of approximately $175 million.  She will also oversee the customer service and purchasing departments as well as information technology.

“At IRWD, we believe our employees are our best asset and Cheryl brings with her a wealth of real world experience.” said Paul Cook, IRWD General Manager. “Cheryl’s extensive background in finance, accounting, and information services will reinforce our commitment to provide our customers with a reliable and safe water supply at the highest level of service and lowest possible cost.”

Cheryl Clary has held several executive positions, most recently as the Chief Financial Officer for DPI Specialty Foods, a privately held food distribution company with $1 billion in sales.  Her experience also includes time as the Chief Financial Officer/Senior Vice President of Finance with Southwest Water Company, a publicly traded water and contract services business operating in multiple states with $225 million in sales and more than 200 million customers.

She also spent 18 years with Atlantic Richfield Company as the Chief Financial Officer for three large business units where she had full financial responsibility for all accounting and controls, strategic planning, performance analysis, contracting and procurement and information technology.

Clary is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of California State University Northridge with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and the UCLA Executive Program at the Anderson School of Management. 

Today officially kicks off the season of holiday cooking and enjoyment of those culinary delights. Some might have the traditional turkey dinner and others might prefer ham or a roast. Deep frying turkey has become a favorite method for preparing the holiday bird in recent years. No matter how the meal is prepared, it will certainly generate fats, oils and grease, or FOG. A high-fat diet of grease and oil can be fatal to sewer systems.

“It’s very important that these bi-products of the holiday meal not be poured down the drain,” says David Pedersen, IRWD Executive Director of Operations. “Grease solidifies in pipes and is the main cause of sewer spills over the holidays.”

When oil and grease is poured down the drain, it sticks to pipes, and can cause sewer clogs. Worst case scenario, raw sewage could back up into your home. Dousing greasy dishes in soapy water doesn't eradicate the problem - dishwashing liquid only breaks the grease down into smaller particles; it doesn't "dissolve" it.

Here are some tips on how to dispose of fats, oils and grease and prevent costly repairs and spills:

• Place left over grease into containers with lids, such as jars, and place into a trash receptacle for pick up on trash day.
• Mix oils with absorbent materials, such as coffee grounds, put in a lidded container and dispose with the trash.
• If cleaning a greasy pan, pour grease into a container and wipe excess grease from the pan with paper towels. Place the towels into the trash.
• If using a deep fat fryer, mix oils with absorbent material, such as cat litter, or soak up excess oil with newspaper and put into the trash.
• If you live in an apartment building or condominium complex, ask your manager if the complex has a grease trap or grease interceptor and encourage them to maintain it properly. Do your part to keep grease out of the complex's sewer lines.

For more information about the FOG program, please visit our website.