Date: March 29, 2012
March 29, 2012
Alexandria, VA — The California Section of the WateReuse Association honored leaders in water recycling during an awards luncheon in Sacramento on March 26. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the 2012 WateReuse California Annual Conference, which is the premier educational event dedicated to advancing water recycling and desalination projects in California.
The Annual WateReuse California Awards provide peer recognition for successful projects and individuals that have made significant contributions to advancing water recycling in California. The awards typically recognize projects that advance sustainable sources of water or offer a novel approach to meeting local water needs.
The award recipients are listed below.
Recycled Water Agency of the Year – Large
The Water Replenishment District of Southern California
For the past 50 years, the Water Replenishment District of Southern California has successfully recharged the Central Groundwater Basin with recycled water as part of the Montebello Forebay Groundwater Recharge Project (MFGRP) in southern Los Angeles County. This is the oldest planned groundwater recharge project using recycled water in California. To date, more than 1.6 million acre-feet of recycled water has been recharged at the MFGRP through surface spreading to help replenish the Central Basin.
Recycled Water Agencies of the Year – Medium
Town of Windsor
For more than two decades, the Town of Windsor has been proactively seeking recycled water opportunities and has built a successful recycled water system that offsets potable water supplies and provides green energy to the region. Windsor has historically offset as much as 1,500 acre-feet per year of potable water use by using recycled water for landscape irrigation and agriculture. Most recently, the Town commenced operation of the Town of Windsor Geysers Connection Project, which will inject up to 1,400 acre-feet per year of recycled water into the Santa Rosa Geysers Recharge system which transports recycled water to the Geysers Geothermal Steamfield for clean energy production.
San Jose Water Company
Until 2010, San Jose Water Company (SJWC) was strictly a retailer of recycled water for South Bay Water Recycling (SBWR). However, in response to a growing shortfall of potable water supply in the region, SJWC amended its Wholesaler-Retailer Agreement with SBWR to become the first Bay Area water retailer to own, operate, and maintain new recycled water pipelines. In the first 18 months, SJWC built 14 miles of recycled water pipeline and led an extensive public outreach campaign to educate new customers on the benefits of recycled water to their communities. By 2015, SJWC plans to expand its system of new pipelines to approximately 30 miles, delivering about 2,700 acre-feet of recycled water each year through more than 250 service connections.
Recycled Water Agency of the Year – Small
Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District
Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District serves 7,000 residents in southern Lake County and has a strong history of delivering innovative, integrated utility system solutions. Its tertiary recycled water plant delivers 400 acre‐feet per year to a community golf course. The program supplies the complete water demands of a community golf course, while assuring compliance with all applicable water rights and discharge prohibitions. In 2011, the District completed a project that further enhanced its environmental performance. New photovoltaic panels produce 100% of the plant’s energy needs. With energy independence comes the ability to protect rate payers from volatility in the power market. Carbon emissions have been reduced by approximately 120 tons per year.
Recycled Water Community Outreach and Public Education Program of the Year
City of Los Angeles Recycled Water Outreach Program
The City of Los Angeles has taken a strategic approach to public outreach for its renewed Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) program. The City started by informing community leaders, then engaging them to help reach out to the broader public. The City combined GWR outreach with its Recycled Water Master Planning (RWMP) process by forming a Recycled Water Advisory Group (RWAG). Success has been evident in many ways. RWAG participants continue to be passionate about GWR. Media coverage has been positive. Surveys during the City’s budget process supported water recycling, and the City has more than 100 letters of support for GWR and recycled water funding.
Recycled Water Customers of the Year
Crean Lutheran High School
Crean Lutheran High School has two unique dual-plumbed buildings that serve more than 500 students and 30 staff members. This high school was the first in Irvine Ranch Water District’s service area to use recycled water for toilets, urinals, and priming floor drains in its buildings. Crean Lutheran High School’s use of recycled water for its nine acres of landscaped area combined with the recycled water used in its dual-plumbed buildings save more than 10 million gallons of drinking water each year. The success of this project led to the construction of another new dual-plumbed high school and the dual-plumbing of a new building at the South Orange County Community College.
Dupont Fabros Technology, Inc.
DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc. (DFT) is a real estate investment trust that develops, owns and operates wholesale datacenters. DFT has datacenters located in Virginia, Illinois, New Jersey and California that serve clients such as Microsoft, Yahoo! and Facebook. The Santa Clara, CA facility uses recycled water produced by South Bay Water Recycling (SBWR) and retailed by the City of Santa Clara for all evaporative cooling tower make-up and landscape irrigation, conserving the bay area’s precious potable water supply. Phase I is expected to use approximately 250,000 gallons of recycled water a day for cooling when fully occupied, saving enough drinking water to serve 416 Bay Area households annually.
Scott Brothers Dairy
Scott Brothers Dairy was founded in 1913 and in the 1970s, it undertook considerable expansion in the San Jacinto Valley. The family-owned business has made substantial changes in its approach to land and resource management in recent decades. These changes have been in response to phenomenal increases in the area’s population and government regulations. Population increases have resulted in huge impacts on area water, air, and land resources. Scotts Brothers Dairy is committed to agricultural sustainability in the region and is proactive in working toward solutions such as recycled water use for agriculture customers and the region.
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison (SCE), in partnership with the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, recently completed the successful conversion from potable to recycled water for irrigation at SCE’s 60-acre headquarters campus located in the City of Rosemead, CA. This project will conserve approximately 31 million gallons of potable water per year. SCE is committed to reduce water use by 20% at all major facility renovations. This initiative has resulted in significant water savings at SCE’s Villa Park Substation, Irwindale Energy Education Center, Tulare Energy Education Center, Porterville Service Center, and the Rosemead General Offices. In addition, SCE operates a natural gas combined cycle electricity generation facility that uses nonpotable water as the source for all industrial water.
Recycled Water Staff Person of the Year
William Dunivin, Orange County Water District
For more than 37 years, Bill Dunivin’s technical, operational and managerial expertise have significantly contributed to the success of water reuse and water resource management efforts in southern California. Dunivin’s dedicated public service has greatly contributed to the success of the Orange County Water District’s pioneering water reuse projects. In 1992, Dunivin received the NWSIA Robert O. Vernon Award in recognition of his contribution to water supply improvement by an individual working at a desalting or water reuse facility. In 1996, he was the recipient of the Santa Ana River Basin Section award for research achievement. He is passionate about water reuse and public service and has a reputation for solving difficult technical issues while fostering an environment of collaboration.
Recycled Water Advocate of the Year
Marsi A. Steirer, City of San Diego Public Utilities Department
Marsi Steirer, Deputy Director of the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department, has been a tireless champion of potable reuse as a valuable local water supply option. In 2004, Steirer managed a water reuse study, which revived discussions after a previous unsuccessful attempt to be the first city in California to augment a surface water reservoir with recycled water. She managed the successful stakeholder process that resulted in a recommendation that the City move forward with reservoir augmentation. Steirer also worked with City Council members and a broad-based coalition of environmental, business, taxpayer advocacy and technology groups to develop a one million-gallon-a-day demonstration project. Steirer is also at the helm of a comprehensive public outreach program and a series of technical studies for the project.
President’s Award
Mark Tettemer, Irvine Ranch Water District
Mark Tettemer has worked for Irvine Ranch Water District for more than seven years. As the Recycled Water Development Manager, Tettemer has been instrumental in expanding the use of recycled water in the District’s service area. In 2011, Mark led a variety of projects including conversion of a water distribution pipeline from untreated imported water to recycled water, conversion of a gas-to-energy facility from potable to recycled water, and working with local schools to develop upcoming dual-plumbed campus buildings.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Satoru Tamaribuchi, The Irvine Company
The Irvine Company (IC) is the primary builder and property manager in Irvine Ranch Water District’s service area. As Vice President, Environmental Affairs and environmental issues manager for 35 years, Sat Tamaribuchi led efforts to address water resources and environmental issues for IC. Recognizing the importance of a reliable supply of water to current and future development, Tamaribuchi and IC became supporters of water recycling and water conservation and worked cooperatively with IRWD to help develop both programs. During his time at IC, the company played a key role in completing several recycled water projects.
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