Work on Wednesday

Residents and motorists traveling near the intersection of Harvard Avenue and Michelson Drive on Wednesday morning will see a hub of activity involving the Irvine Ranch Water District Collection Systems crews.

No major construction is taking place, but crews will be cleaning and inspecting the sewer lines that feed into the Michelson Water Recycling Plant. This work is a component of the plant’s expansion project, which began in the fall of 2009. The contractor will be diverting wastewater flows for 16-24 hours to the Orange County Sanitation District in Fountain Valley in order to tie the lines into the new headworks facility in the plant.

While the flows are diverted, Collection Systems crews will clean and inspect the lines. A fleet of jet and vacuum trucks will be present on at the Harvard and Michelson intersection during the day Wednesday. City approved traffic control will be in effect. Roads will remain open during this activity.

Eighty Cars Removed From the Road

The Irvine Ranch Water District’s rideshare program received the highest honor, the Blue Diamond Award, for corporate rideshare leadership at the 15 Annual Rideshare Diamond Awards event May 22. The awards are sponsored jointly by the Orange County Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Commute Services and Ventura County Transportation Commission. The IRWD rideshare coordinators were honored at the June 24 Board of Directors meeting.

“We need to be resourceful and utilize every opportunity to spread the word of rideshare,” said Jane Shafer, IRWD rideshare coordinator.

IRWD received a Diamond Award in 2011 for its rideshare program. The Diamond Awards recognize the significant achievements of corporate rideshare programs in the region and their contribution toward decreasing gasoline consumption, air pollution and commuter costs as well as improving mobility.

A shortage of parking spots during the IRWD Michelson Water Recycling Plant expansion, plus a focus on marketing the program to newly hired employees, helped boost the numbers of the rideshare program. The van pool portion of the program has expanded to 20 vans, 18 of them at the Michelson location and nine of them are equipped with bicycle racks. Many employees commute from the traffic-choked Inland Empire, so this allows them to arrive to work on time and refreshed. The numbers of IRWD employees using the program equates to removing 80 cars from the road.

Additionally, there are 18 employees actively participating in the bike to work program. Others use public transportation. For more information on IRWD, please visit our website.

Mobile App Now Available

Irvine Ranch Water District has made it easier for you to pay your water bill with a new mobile app. Pay your bill from the convenience of your smart phone or tablet.

Download the Check mobile app from your app store. Then, see your bill, get alerts about the due dates, and pay. All you need is a copy of your bill to start the process. You can pay with any bank account or credit card.

Go to https://check/me/irwd for information.

IRWD Rebates Available

Did you know that your toilet is one of the biggest water users in your home? Replace that water-guzzler with a new high-efficiency toilet and not only save money on your water bill, but receive a rebate at the same time.

Toilet flushing accounts for nearly 30 percent of water use inside the home. With a high-efficiency toilet, you could save more than 8,000 gallons of water per year. Rebates start at $50 for qualifying toilets.

Please visit www.socalwatersmart.com for rebate information.