Laserfiche WebLink
Water in Orange County Needs “One Voice” <br /> <br /> <br />2021-2022 Orange County Grand Jury Page 4 <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />Multiple prior Grand Jury Reports have addressed water issues, including water challenges and <br />opportunities jointly being faced by all of Orange County. One report pointed out disparities <br />between the North/Central and South County’s water sources, the fragmented governance, and <br />the significant differences in topography.1F <br />2 Another report informed the public about <br />sustainability of the local water supply and future needs, along with evaluating the efforts of the <br />two major wholesale water agencies in the County.2F <br />3 <br />Orange County relies heavily on imported water for its ongoing supply, as well as some of its <br />groundwater storage replenishment needs. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California <br />(MET) supplies imported water to Southern California. Municipal Water District of Orange <br />County (MWDOC) buys imported water from MET and sells it to Orange County’s retail water <br />agencies (cities and special districts). Orange County Water District (OCWD) supplies ground <br />water to the retail water agencies and cities geographically served by the aquifer and wells. <br />REASON FOR THE STUDY <br />The consolidation of OCWD and MWDOC has been explored in the past, debated by wholesale <br />and retail water agencies, but ultimately never accomplished. The formation of a new Joint <br />Powers Authority is one option. But no matter how a consolidation would be accomplished, the <br />OCGJ concluded that now is the time to have a single wholesale water supply agency in Orange <br />County. Based on statements made during numerous OCGJ interviews, multiple water <br />professionals support moving from two to one wholesale entity for Orange County. <br /> <br />The OCGJ is concerned that opportunities to operate, innovate, lobby, capitalize and coordinate <br />communication are not being optimized with Orange County’s current wholesale water structure, <br />which is split between two key, but very different, agencies. This report will, among other things, <br />address the merits related to the formation of “One Voice” in the Orange County wholesale <br />water structure. It will highlight ways in which Orange County can better address water supply, <br />operations, and infrastructure. The report will not recommend specifically how a single structure <br />comes to fruition legislatively. <br />METHOD OF STUDY <br />The Grand Jury evaluated the efforts of the existing primary water entities in Orange County— <br />MWDOC and OCWD—to determine what is working well, and the challenges and opportunities <br />currently existing. In its investigation, the OCGJ used the following sources. <br /> <br />2 2009-2009 Grand Jury report titled Paper Water <br />3 2012-2013 Grand Jury report titled Orange County Water Sustainability: Who Cares?