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HISTORIC RAIN, YET DROUGHT REMAINS <br /> <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 I 2023 Page 32 of 57 <br /> <br />Gray Water <br />Wastewater from bathtubs, shower drains, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers; <br />however, some plumbing codes exclude water from sink and dishwasher as being <br />classified as gray water. <br /> <br />Ground Water Recovery System (GWRS) <br /> <br />Operated by Orange County Water District, the system takes highly treated wastewater <br />that would have previously been discharged into the Pacific Ocean and purifies it to <br />potable standards. <br /> <br />Potable Water Reuse Indirect <br /> <br />Treatment of water such as recycled wastewater, to a high degree suitable for potable <br />purposes and uses an environmental buffer, such as a lake, river, or a <br />groundwater aquifer, before the water is treated again and utilized as potable water. <br />This process is used by Orange County Water District at GWRS to treat water and <br />replenish the aquifer under North and Central Orange County. <br /> <br />Recycled Water <br /> <br />Water reuse (also commonly known as water recycling or water reclamation) reclaims <br />water from a variety of sources then treats and reuses it for beneficial purposes such as <br />agriculture and irrigation, potable water supplies, groundwater replenishment, industrial <br />processes, and environmental restoration. For the purposes of this report, recycled <br />water comes primarily from highly treated wastewater. <br /> <br />Reverse Osmosis <br /> <br />A process of producing pure water by forcing it through a semipermeable membrane <br />that only allows water to pass. It is the primary method for large scale desalination and <br />is also used as one of the final treatment steps for producing potable water from <br />wastewater. <br /> <br />Sustainability <br /> <br />The long-term viability of a community or practice. <br /> <br />Urban Runoff <br /> <br />As commonly referred to in Orange County, surface runoff during dry weather of <br />landscape irrigation, and car washing created by urbanization. It can also refer to the <br />stormwater runoff over impervious surfaces (roads, parking lots and sidewalks). The <br />concern with urban runoff is possible contamination of surface and groundwater. <br /> <br />