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HISTORIC RAIN, YET DROUGHT REMAINS <br /> <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 I 2023 Page 21 of 57 <br /> <br />Some water agencies in Orange County have conducted public campaigns to make the <br />public aware of the need to increase rates. The rate increases are for projects to <br />increase the water supply and source resiliency of the agency. South Coast Water <br />District’s outreach to its customers has been most notable and enabled the District to <br />proceed with community support for the Doheny Desalination Project. <br />The public needs to be galvanized to move forward. The Grand Jury recommends that <br />the County Board of Supervisors lead a countywide campaign to mobilize the public in <br />support of new water sources that will make the supply systems more efficient and <br />resilient. <br />Effect on Local Economy <br />If no new sustainable source of potable water is developed there will be an adverse <br />impact on Orange County. While North Orange County has an underground aquifer with <br />a substantial amount of water, South County is almost entirely dependent upon external <br />supplies. Major strides have been made in recycling water for industrial and landscaping <br />purposes, but there is still a shortage of potable water with the only current source of <br />“new” water being the Doheny Desalination plant, which will take years to complete and <br />probably not begin operations until 2028. Capital costs of building a desalination plant <br />are generally beyond the capability of a single water district.