Published: May 27, 2014 | 09:00 AM

In the Midst of Drought, Be Water Aware in May

The drought serves to remind us that water is something we cannot live without, yet it’s easy to take for granted. You expect water to flow when you turn on the tap. Do we ever wonder how we would react if no water came out?

Irvine Ranch Water District reminds our customers that they can trust us to provide clean, safe water for everything you need it for. Since May is Water Awareness Month, this is a perfect time to advise you about what you need to know about your water supply.

Your drinking water meets or exceeds all quality standards set by both the state and federal government. Our water quality staff continuously monitors the water supply, conducting more than a quarter of a million laboratory tests each year in our state-certified, state-of-the-art water quality lab. The annual Water Quality Report is available on our website.

You can depend on your water supply. IRWD has worked hard to decrease our dependence on costly imported drinking water with a balanced, diverse water portfolio. IRWD's drinking water comes from two primary sources: local groundwater and imported water.

About one-third of IRWD's drinking water is purchased from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. This imported water comes from the Colorado River via the Colorado River Aqueduct and from Northern California via the State Water Project.

 Another two-thirds of our drinking water supply comes from local groundwater wells in the Orange County Groundwater Basin, the Irvine sub-basin and in Lake Forest. In addition, IRWD has a robust recycled water program. Every drop of recycled water used for irrigation or other non-potable purposes saves drinking water. The District's diversified supply ensures a reliable water supply during times of drought, regulatory constraints and other emergencies.  This diverse water supply portfolio helps to keep rates as low as possible. 

If you receive a high water bill, we can help you figure out why. Each customer has a water allocation based on the type of home, the number of occupants and the total area of surrounding landscape. Staying within your allocation will help keep your rates low.

If you receive a high water bill, contact us so that we can help you figure out why you went over your allocation and what changes can be made to help you stay within your allocation. Use our website as an online resource for all things water efficient - tips, tools, rebates, garden/plant information, irrigation schedules, videos, events, webinars, workshops and more.

In addition, please check out our drought portal to take the 20 percent pledge, or to find connections to state and federal resources.