Electricity - We pay that bill like you!

The first of the month brings new opportunity, renewed energy and everyone’s ‘favorite’ — bills. Just about everybody pays bills to keep everything running as it should. That’s true for IFCD 3. Each month, we pay phone, internet, waste and electricity bills.

Because of what we do, it comes as no surprise that electricity is one of our highest expenses. In one month alone, our bill can be up to $16,000, so we take a series of steps to limit our electricity use:

  • IFCD 3 participates in a state-wide power sourcing pool through Cavallo, an electricity provider that provides electricity to similar public operations across Texas. Cavallo delivers the best overall value for the District and the way in which we use electricity.

  • Wherever possible, we use gravity to lower the water level in our system when we start going above the above the 418' level. By allowing the energy of Mother Nature to move excess water out of the IFCD 3 system and into the Elm Fork of the Trinity River via our sluice gates adjacent to the pump station, we avoid the use of electricity.

  • When anticipating heavy precipitation, the District starts lowering system water levels in advance to reduce the amount of pumping time needed to keep water as close to the 418' level as possible when the bulk of the storms arrives.

Electricity continues to make different aspects of our lives easier and more predictable. For IFCD III, dependable and redundant power makes our flood control system work efficiently and effectively. Under the watchful eye of experienced operations personnel, this electricity and the technology that controls it continue to protect the Valley Ranch community during extreme weather conditions.

You can learn more about how flood control in Valley Ranch utilizes a wide range of technology and professional expertise through other WaterWays blogs and our social media channels – including Facebook and Twitter.

Irving Flood Control District III