DISTRICT UPDATE

DISTRICT UPDATE - DISTRICT UPDATE - October 1st, 2023

PFAS REGULATORY UPDATE
In February 2022 Serrano Water District and Orange County Water District completed construction on the PFAS Filtration Plant. Click here for more info.

The Santiago Reservoir Capital Improvement Project
In 1931 (90 years ago), Serrano Water District (formerly known as Serrano Irrigation District), Carpenter Irrigation District, and the James Irvine Company completed a project that secured water rights and, more importantly, Villa Park's and a portion of Orange's current water supply reliability. This project resulted in the construction of the current Irvine Lake Dam which is owned between Serrano Water District (25%) and Irvine Ranch Water District (75%). For the last 90 years, the Santiago Reservoir has been utilized for capturing, storing storm flows and other water sources and insuring our residents a safe, secure, and cost-effective supply of water.

In 2018, after Lake Oroville's spillway failure, California's Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) required ALL dam spillways in California to be thoroughly inspected. After their inspection, DSOD has mandated that the Irvine Lake spillway must be replaced within the next 10 years. In addition to the spillway, DSOD required a seismic stability analysis to be performed on the Dam's outlet tower, which is the structure that controls water flow from the Dam to our treatment plant. DSOD is also requiring the replacement of the outlet tower.

After almost 100 years of service, these all-important improvements are necessary to insure SWD's share of water and storage rights in the Reservoir. The District is in the process of evaluating the most cost-effective solution for the District's 25% share of these upgrades. You may be assured that we will always look out for, and do, whatever is in the best interest of the ratepayers.

We will continue to keep you updated on the progress of these two projects and, for more information, please visit our website https://www.serranowater.org/district-update.html  and https://www.irwd.com/construction/dam-safety-program.

Pressure Regulating Valve Maintenance
The District has over 20 large pressure regulating valves throughout the District that control flow and pressure within different zones. Staff has, in conjunction with contractors, been performing routine maintenance on these valves. This work does not interrupt normal service.

Systemwide Water Flow and Leak Detection Program
Staff has been fully trained in performing system wide water loss audits on the distribution system. This last year the District completed a full audit of the distribution system and repaired two leaks that were undetectable through normal visual indicators. Our District plans to perform these system audits bi-annually.

Water Quality Report
You should have received the 2020 Water Quality Report that was mailed to you in June. This report is also available on the District's website under Water Quality. The District is proud to serve high quality water to its customers and the report reflects the District's dedication to its ratepayers.