News

Del Rayo Downs Homeowner Association Now Irrigating with Recycled Water

Olivenhain Municipal Water District began serving recycled water to the Del Rayo Downs Homeowner Association in Rancho Santa Fe this week. The conversion to recycled water enables the HOA to save money on its monthly water bill while decreasing imported water demand by approximately 16.5 acre-feet annually. An acre-foot is enough to serve two typical families of four for a year.

“Del Rayo Downs Homeowner Association made a good decision in taking advantage of recycled water,” said OMWD Vice President Bob Topolovac. “By irrigating its common areas with recycled water, not only is it reducing its operational costs, but it is conserving millions of gallons of potable water for indoor use.”

“Del Ray Downs is a beautiful enclave of 65 homes, noted for its open spaces and it’s visually appealing landscaping,” stated Del Rayo Downs HOA Vice President Rita Vandergaw. “We are thrilled to have had a true working partnership with Olivenhain Municipal Water District in converting our HOA water usage to recycled water.  This conversion allows us to continue to maintain our landscaping and contribute to the environment at the same time, and could not have been accomplished without the assistance of Olivenhain.”

OMWD can produce up to two million gallons of recycled water daily at its 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility and has developed partnerships with neighboring recycled water providers to serve recycled water to other portions of its service area. In total, OMWD meets approximately 14 percent of its demands with recycled water, providing a sustainable and locally sourced aspect to its overall water portfolio.

To further expand adoption of recycled water, OMWD continues to meet with large irrigators on the benefits of retrofitting their irrigation systems. One method of facilitating the retrofit process is through OMWD’s recycled water loan program that aids customers such as schools, homeowner associations, and golf courses to pay for necessary equipment and system upgrades to retrofit and use this drought-resilient water supply. 

Del Rayo Downs Homeowner Association now irrigating common areas with recycled water, conserving millions of gallons of potable water