To retain soil moisture while discouraging weeds, Irvine Ranch Water District encourages generous use of mulch to cover garden and bedding soils. Did you know that adding compost as a low-cost, natural, non-chemical soil amendment also helps preserve moisture while nourishing your plants?

Compost is the biologically active material that results from decomposition of organic material under controlled conditions. Composting—the process of cultivating and harvesting compost—uses the following organic materials:

Greens include grass clippings, yard trimmings, green leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, and horse, cow, chicken or rabbit manure. Greens contain nitrogen, which aids breakdown of organic matter.

Browns include dried leaves, woody plant material, chopped/ground twigs and branches, straw, hay, sawdust, and shredded newspaper or cardboard. Browns contain carbon, which increases surface area and eases decomposition.

Water creates a favorable environment for microorganisms that break down organic material. A compost pile should be kept as moist as a wrung-out sponge.

Air provides the environment necessary for microorganisms to live and multiply. Turning the compost inhibits odor-causing bacteria and speeds creation of the fi nished product — a nutrientrich soil amendment, ready to be harvested and worked into the soil.

Do not use meat, fish, poultry, bones, dairy products, grease, lard, weed seeds, Bermuda grass, nutsedge, dog or cat manure, charcoal or Durafl ame ashes, or treated wood products.

The traditional method of composting involves making a pile of organic materials and letting it stand for a year.

For faster harvesting, first chop the materials into oneinch or smaller pieces to provide greater surface area for decomposition. If available, place course material at the bottom of the compost bin to promote air circulation. Next, build the pile by alternating green and brown materials as they become available. Then periodically turn and moisten the compost.

Compost is ready for harvesting when it has a pleasant, earthy aroma, a dark brown color and a crumbly texture. If a few chunks of woody material remain, screen them out and place them in the next batch.

Incorporating compost into soil is the most common way to use it. Spread two to four inches of compost and mix it into the soil to a depth of six inches. This improves the texture and water retention of Orange County soils, which tend to be mostly clay or sandy.

Want to learn more? Visit uccemg.com and type “composting” in the search fi eld.

From left: Enrique Zanetti, Lauren Gautschi, Amy McNulty, Luis Genis, Nathan Lacy, Allan Pascual, Juan Garcia, Melody Seesangrit and Joey Baquerizo.

With the New Year almost here, make it your resolution to conserve water. Meet the Irvine Ranch Water District water efficiency team and check out some of their tips on saving water.

Amy McNulty: I take my car to a commercial car wash instead of washing it at home because water at commercial car washes is reused multiple times. I save water, my car looks great, and I have more time for exciting things, like designing a drought tolerant landscape for my home.

Allan Pascual: I change the irrigation controller setting monthly based on the IRWD-recommended schedule (wateringguide.com).

Enrique Zanetti: Check your toilets for leaks and think about upgrading to a water efficient washing machine and dishwasher. (See rightscapenow.com/rebates to save on a high-efficiency clothes washer.) Taking meter readings is a great way to calculate the exact amount of water you use day by day. You may be able to see a pattern—and take action on days of the week when your usage spikes. For a tutorial on meter reading, visit irwd.com/services/meter-information.

Luis Genis: I leave the faucet off while brushing my teeth and I only turn on the lights when necessary. Conserving electricity indirectly saves water.

Nathan Lacy: Use refillable water bottles and fill up at faucets, water fountains, and hydration stations. Breaking the bottled-water habit will help save the environment—because you don’t cause water and energy to be wasted in the production of single-use plastic bottles.

Lauren Gautschi: I love participating in sports activities. To save water, I am sure to shower after playing sports! This prevents multiple showers and decreases the amount of laundry.

Joey Baquerizo: Set timers and reminders! Pick your favorite shower song (ideally not “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”) and finish your shower as the song comes to an end. Set calendar reminders with the computer in your pocket to remind you when you should be checking your irrigation timer settings.

Juan Garcia: Consider replacing your lawn with a low water use ground cover.

Melody Seesangrit: Check for broken sprinkler heads by routinely performing manual station runs. Watch IRWD’s “How to Check for Sprinkler Leaks” video at rightscapenow.com/how-do-i/how-do-i-fix-a-leak.

Irvine Ranch Water District officials congratulate Hyatt House Irvine on becoming a Certified WaterStar Business. From left are Mary Aileen Matheis, IRWD board director; Brett Ambrose, Hyatt House general manager; Allan Pasqual, IRWD senior water efficiency specialist; and Gabe Vargas, IRWD recycled water project specialist.

The newly constructed Hyatt House Irvine is scheduled to open in January— and it’s already a WaterStar. The seven-story building, at 2320 Main Street near John Wayne Airport, is the first California hotel to be dual-plumbed so guest toilets flush with recycled water. Its 149 extended-stay suites are equipped with high-efficiency water fixtures. Landscape is irrigated with recycled water.

On Nov. 9, Shimano American Corporation also earned WaterStar Certification for installing high-efficiency indoor water fixtures and using recycled water to irrigate the grounds of its two-building facility in Irvine.

Learn all about IRWD’s WaterStar Business Recognition Program at rightscapenow.com/programs/waterstar-business-recognition.

Douglas J. Reinhart, left, and Steven E. LaMar.

The Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors has selected Douglas J. Reinhart to serve as president and Steven E. LaMar to serve as vice president for 2018. The selections were made at the Dec. 11 board meeting.

Reinhart has served on the board since 2004. He is the current 2017 president, serving on the Finance and Personnel Committee, the Supply Reliability Programs Committee, and several ad hoc committees. Reinhart served as president in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2013, and vice president in 2006 and 2016. He is a registered civil engineer and a registered control systems engineer with more than 30 years of experience in the private sector, directing projects in water, wastewater and other infrastructure.

LaMar has been on the board since 2009. He served as president in 2011, 2014 and 2015 and vice president in 2013. LaMar serves on the Engineering and Operations Committee and the Water Resources Policy and Communications Committee, as well as various ad hoc Committees. In 2018 he also will serve as vice president of the Association of California Water Agencies.