36 Member Agencies

Collaborate With WEROC to Strengthen Regional Resilience

26+ Incidents

Requiring Coordination & Activation in 2024 Alone

3k+ Water & Wastewater

Employees Throughout Orange County Region

Emergency Management

The Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County (WEROC), administered by the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), helps protect Orange County’s water and wastewater systems through emergency planning and coordinated response. As a trusted partner to 36 local agencies, WEROC brings together resources and expertise to strengthen regional resilience.

Throughout the year, WEROC collaborates with key partners, including The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the California Office of Emergency Services, the Department of Water Resources, the California Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network, the County Operational Area, and other emergency response organizations, to reinforce emergency preparedness through training, cooperation, and mutual support.

Please Note: WEROC does not directly provide water service to homes or businesses. For water emergencies, such as main breaks or service leaks, please contact your local water provider.

WEROC 2025 Annual Report

 

Register with AlertOC to receive important information during emergencies. AlertOC is the county’s mass notification system used by government officials to keep residents and businesses informed during emergencies.

Additional preparedness resources may be found at ReadyOC, Orange County’s emergency preparedness resource site, which provides guidance and information on preparedness for all ages. The site also provides volunteer opportunities and information on the most common hazards the county may face.

Learn more about WEROC by reading the article “Building the Next 20 Years of Water Sector Mutual Aid,” featured in Source Magazine (page 13).

The Five (5) Pillars of Emergency Management

Prevention

Actions taken to eliminate hazards, reduce vulnerabilities, & deter potential threats.

  • Collaboration with Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC)
  • Proactive cybersecurity
  • Target Hardening to strengthen physical security

Mitigation

Reducing long-term risk to water systems.

  • Regional risk assessments and vulnerability studies
  • Partnership with local, state, and federal agencies

Preparedness

Laying the foundation before disaster strikes.

  • Deployable mobile operations center & trained incident response personnel
  • Trainings, drills, & exercises
  • Presentations & interactive workshops
  • WEROC signatory member agencies & collaboration (WEROC Member List >)

Response

Coordinated action when emergencies unfold.

  • Coordinated response during major incidents
  • Mutual aid & assistance across OC agencies & regional partners
  • Collaboration with WEROC member agencies, fire, law enforcement, emergency response personnel, & others

Recovery

Restoring water service and reinforcing system reliability.

  • Post-incident assessment and data sharing
  • Support for damage documentation and recovery funding
  • Recovery planning to reduce downtime and improve resilience
  • After-action reports and improvement planning