Orange County depends
on imported water from Northern California through
the State Water Project and the Colorado River for
approximately 50 percent of our total supply. The
other half comes from several sources: a large groundwater
basin underlying the northern half of the County,
recycled wastewater produced by several local water
agencies, and several small groundwater basins.
The large groundwater basin that underlies the northern
half of the County provides about 75 percent of that
area’s needs. South Orange County is virtually
100 percent dependent on imported water.
Orange County Water District
(OCWD) manages the groundwater basin. The Municipal
Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) manages our
imported water supply. The two agencies work cooperatively
and are continually evaluating new and innovative
programs, including seawater desalination, wetlands
expansion, recharge facility construction, surface
storage, new water use efficiency programs, and system
interconnections for enhanced reliability.
MWDOC also works with other Metropolitan agencies
in Orange County and local retail agencies to help
determine our future water needs and ensure reliable
supplies.
While water remains
one of the most cost-efficient utilities in California,
the cost of wholesale water is rising across the state.
In addition to meeting the challenges of providing
high-quality water, MWDOC and other agencies also
must deal with significant issues that will affect
water rates in the future, including:
- Water security investments
- Increasingly stringent water quality
requirements
- Increased cost for imported water
supplies
- Aging water facilities and infrastructure
- Competition for supplies among agricultural,
urban and environmental
- Population growth and increasing
demands
MWDOC will continue
working with its member agencies to meet these challenges
and ensure a supply of reliable water for
Orange County.
