3.5+ Million
K-12 Students Served in School Programs
260+
Organizations Statewide Participate in Workforce Development Each Year
50 Years Of
Orange County’s Beloved Mascot Ricky Raindrop℠
K-20 Water Education Initiatives
The Key is Environmental Literacy
Over the past several years, the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) investment in K-20 water education has significantly grown, evolving to include programs and activities that support environmental literacy for all Orange County students.
Preserving our natural resources requires that all citizens be aware of environmental issues that may impact our future, and be engaged and knowledgeable enough to find solutions.
FREE Water Education School Programs
MWDOC has provided nearly 3.5 million Orange County students with essential water education since 1973. Each year, nearly 70,000 students in grades K-12 learn about Orange County water supply sources, the benefits of water conservation and good water stewardship, as well as the challenges that water providers face each year to deliver clean, safe, reliable water to homes, businesses, and industries.
FREE Grab-and-Go Water Activities
Developed in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education, MWDOC’s self-guided Grab-and-Go Water Activities use the engineering design process to engage students in investigation, inquiry, and hands-on projects to discover how everyday actions can significantly impact water supply and water quality for generations to come.
Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA)
The Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA) is a powerful statewide coalition uniting education leaders, workforce advocates, and industry experts to raise student awareness, forge strong partnerships, and cultivate a diverse, highly skilled talent pipeline. The water and energy industries don’t just offer jobs, they provide lifelong, stable careers that drive innovation, strengthen communities, and power the state’s economy. By connecting students with high-impact opportunities, WEEA is shaping a workforce that fuels industry success, enhances worker well-being, and ensures a resilient, thriving California.
Water Awareness Poster Contest
For over three decades, MWDOC has presented the annual Water Awareness Poster Contest (Poster Contest) to all Orange County students in grades K-12. The Poster Contest offers children an opportunity to use their artistic talents to express the importance and value of water through artwork. Each year, hundreds of entries are collected from students and classrooms across the county, and from these entries, 40 winners are selected.
OC Scouts BSA and OC Girl Scouts Programs
Several times a year, MWDOC hosts water education workshops to help Orange County Scouts BSA earn their Soil & Water Conservation Merit Badge, and Orange County Girl Scouts earn the MWDOC Water Resources & Conservation Patch. These activity-based STEM clinics teach children of all ages where their water comes from, how to use water more efficiently, and how all life depends on the health and security of our natural resources.