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Water in Orange County Needs “One Voice” <br /> <br /> <br />2021-2022 Orange County Grand Jury Page 5 <br /> <br />• In-person and virtual interviews. Specifically, interviews of current and former Water <br />District Managers, City and Regional Water Managers and other involved State entities <br />and individuals. <br />• Water District website meeting minutes and document review. <br />• Independent research (articles, websites, reports, minutes, documents, etc.). <br />• Research of applicable State and local water-related statutes and ordinances. <br />• Site tours of water and sanitation districts’ operations. <br />• Past Grand Jury reports. <br />• 2021 Orange County Water Summit. <br /> <br />The interviews included personnel from water agencies that represented a cross section of <br />regional and local wholesalers and retailers to obtain a diversity of perspectives based on <br />geography, demographics, and practices. The investigation took into consideration the variety of <br />characteristics that exist in the County, including: <br />• North compared to South County sources of water supply (reliance on imported water). <br />• Variety of projects to provide water supplies during normal and emergency times. <br />• Diversity of projects and plans to increase reliable sources of water supply including. <br />categories related to conservation, recycling for irrigation and potable use, storage, <br />desalination options, etc. <br />• Multi-agency collaboration. <br /> <br />INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS <br />Overall, California water sources come from imported supplies (State Water Project in Northern <br />California and the Colorado River), groundwater, stormwater, water transfers, desalination, and <br />water recycling. Orange County, like the rest of California, relies on a variety of sources, with <br />the exception of desalination which is currently in the planning stage. <br />Status Quo <br />To best understand the background of wholesale water in California, and specifically Orange <br />County, one must examine the three major governmental agencies involved: Metropolitan Water <br />District of Southern California (MET), Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), <br />and Orange County Water District (OCWD). These agencies have similar names but very <br />different responsibilities. The role of retail water districts will also be explained. <br />Metropolitan Water District of Southern California <br />MET provides water from the Colorado River and the State Water Project from Northern <br />California to Southern California. It wholesales this imported water to its Orange County <br />member agencies, MWDOC and the independent cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana.