Water Inspection Trips

Where Does Our Water Come From?
Orange County gets only half of its water from local sources like groundwater and recycled water. The rest is imported from the Colorado River and Northern California.

Each year, local leaders plan inspection trips to major water facilities across California. Hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), these hands-on tours offer a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of water supply, water quality, conservation, and more.

The goal? To build water-smart communities by sparking informed conversations and inspiring wise decisions about our most vital resource—water.

Learn more

Metropolitan's Colorado River Aqueduct Video

Inspection Trips Overview

State Water Project/Sacramento
San Joaquin Delta

A 2 or 3 day tour (overnight required)
The State Water Project is a massive water delivery and storage system that originates at Lake Oroville and extends 700 miles to southern California. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta serves as the hub through which the water passes from north to south, and is the single most important link in California’s water supply system. Stops could include Oroville Dam, the Feather River, The Delta Cross Channel and Banks Pumping Plant.

Learn more about the State Water Project

Colorado River Aqueduct

A 2 or 3 day tour (overnight required)
The Colorado River Aqueduct is one of three major water delivery systems servicing southern California, conveying water from Lake Havasu to the Pacific coast. This trip takes a unique, inside look at the historic 242-mile aqueduct system and Metropolitan’s top-notch treatment and distribution facilities. Stops could include Diemer Treatment Plant, Diamond Valley Lake, Copper Basin, Parker Dam, and the General Patton Museum.

Colorado River Aqueduct Briefing Paper

Southern California Infrastructure

A single-day tour
Visit The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s (Metropolitan) facilities in Southern California. A single-day tour can include highlights such as local treatment plants, storage, distribution systems, and local investments.

Interest List

Due to the extreme popularity of this program, availability is limited and inclusion on any particular trip cannot be guaranteed. We do send out invitations several weeks in advance and reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Fill out the form below if you would like to be added to one or more of our interest lists.

For questions related to this program, contact us at inspectiontrips@mwdoc.com

*The Water Education Foundation also sponsors water tours for a fee. Visit their website to view a complete tour schedule.