Agenda Packet_2022-09-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Water in Orange County Needs "One Voice" BACKGROUND Multiple prior Grand Jury Reports have addressed water issues, including water challenges and opportunities jointly being faced by all of Orange County. One report pointed out disparities between the North/Central and South County's water sources, the fragmented governance, and the significant differences in topography.2 Another report informed the public about sustainability of the local water supply and future needs, along with evaluating the efforts of the two major wholesale water agencies in the County.3 Orange County relies heavily on imported water for its ongoing supply, as well as some of its groundwater storage replenishment needs. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET) supplies imported water to Southern California. Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) buys imported water from MET and sells it to Orange County's retail water agencies (cities and special districts). Orange County Water District (OCWD) supplies ground water to the retail water agencies and cities geographically served by the aquifer and wells. REASON FOR THE STUDY The consolidation of OCWD and MWDOC has been explored in the past, debated by wholesale and retail water agencies, but ultimately never accomplished. The formation of a new Joint Powers Authority is one option. But no matter how a consolidation would be accomplished, the OCGJ concluded that now is the time to have a single wholesale water supply agency in Orange County. Based on statements made during numerous OCGJ interviews, multiple water professionals support moving from two to one wholesale entity for Orange County. The OCGJ is concerned that opportunities to operate, innovate, lobby, capitalize and coordinate communication are not being optimized with Orange County's current wholesale water structure, which is split between two key, but very different, agencies. This report will, among other things, address the merits related to the formation of "One Voice" in the Orange County wholesale water structure. It will highlight ways in which Orange County can better address water supply, operations, and infrastructure. The report will not recommend specifically how a single structure comes to fruition legislatively. METHOD OF STUDY The Grand Jury evaluated the efforts of the existing primary water entities in Orange County MWDOC and OCWD—to determine what is working well, and the challenges and opportunities currently existing. In its investigation, the OCGJ used the following sources. z 2009-2009 Grand Jury report titled Paper Water s 2012-2013 Grand Jury report titled Orange County Water Sustainability: Who Cares? 2021-2022 Orange County Grand Jury Page 4 City Council 8-6 9/20/2022