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HISTORIC RAIN, YET DROUGHT REMAINS <br /> <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 I 2023 Page 19 of 57 <br />for all of Orange County. Unifying the water districts is also a possibility, as previously <br />reported by the 2021-2022 Grand Jury.10 <br />Through its member agencies, MWDOC covers all of Orange County except the Cities <br />of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana. MWDOC has completed a comprehensive study <br />of Orange County’s water reliability needs that could serve as means to achieve a <br />climate resilient water supply.11 The study covers MET system reliability and Orange <br />County projects including desalination projects, watershed projects, and water banking <br />projects. The study clearly identifies that Orange County is facing a water crisis, and <br />forewarns that by the year 2030, eight out of every ten years can be expected to be dry. <br />Based upon this study and MWDOC’s countywide charter, MWDOC could accept <br />responsibility to lead Orange County’s efforts to plan, finance, and implement water <br />source and supply projects. However, the study would need to be updated, as it is <br />totally devoid of financing and implementation data, and it relies too much on MET <br />efforts that are decades behind where they should be. <br />Orange County needs a champion to lead the efforts to develop a water source and to <br />enhance the reliability of existing water supplies. OCWD and MWDOC have planned <br />but failed to implement a solution, and a joint powers authority requires a level of <br />political cooperation that may not be possible with 29 separate water agencies. <br />Therefore, the County of Orange should initiate the Climate Resiliency District to plan, <br />finance, and implement water supply projects to meet future conditions and needs. <br /> <br /> Orange County needs a champion to lead the efforts to <br />develop a water source and to enhance the reliability of <br />existing water supplies <br />