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Public Works Agency <br />www.santa-ana.org/pw <br />Item # 8 <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> Staff Report <br />September 20, 2022 <br />TOPIC: Orange County Grand Jury’s Investigative Report, Findings and <br />Recommendations Regarding “Water in Orange County Needs One Voice” <br />AGENDA TITLE <br />Orange County Grand Jury’s Investigative Report, Findings and Recommendations <br />Regarding “Water in Orange County Needs One Voice” <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />Receive and file the Orange County Grand Jury’s report, findings and recommendations <br />regarding wholesale water policy and operations in Orange County needing “One Voice” <br />and authorize the City Manager to deliver the City’s response to the findings and <br />recommendations to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. <br />DISCUSSION <br />On June 22, 2022, the Orange County Grand Jury (OCGJ) issued a report with findings <br />and recommendations regarding the establishment of a singular wholesale water supply <br />agency in Orange County. The OCGJ report aims to, among other things, address the <br />merits related to the formation of “One Voice” in the Orange County wholesale water <br />structure. <br />Most of Orange County relies heavily on imported water for its ongoing supply, as well as <br />some of its groundwater storage replenishment needs. Metropolitan Water District of <br />Southern California (MET) supplies imported water to Southern California. While the cities <br />of Santa Ana, Anaheim and Fullerton purchase imported water directly from MET, other <br />water suppliers in Orange County purchase imported water from Municipal Water District <br />of Orange County (MWDOC), who buys it from MET. Orange County Water District <br />(OCWD) supplies groundwater to the retail water agencies and cities geographically <br />situated in the Orange County Groundwater Basin, which includes the City of Santa Ana. <br />Exhibit 1 is the OCGJ’s complete report. As a result of the investigation, OCGJ issued six <br />findings and two recommendations. The OCGJ is requesting that the City of Santa Ana <br />respond to five findings and both of the recommendations. Exhibit 2 outlines the OCGJ <br />findings, recommendations and the City’s responses. Upon authorization by the City <br />Council, the responses in Exhibit 2 will be submitted to the Presiding Judge of the <br />Superior Court.