Item 07 - Response to OC Grand Jury Report_ Historic Rain, Yet Drought

Home Browse Search

HISTORIC RAIN, YET DROUGHT REMAINS ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 I 2023 Page 40 of 57 intensive crops – in an area where there's a shortage of water. Some farms are foreign- owned and are shipping the crop to Saudi Arabia, where it's illegal to grow because it takes too much water.20 Water sources cannot be bought or sold but the water taken from a lake, river, stream, or creek, or from underground supplies for a beneficial use, requires you have a water right.21 The right to use that water can be conveyed on a temporary basis. Temporary transfers of water from one water user to another have been used increasingly as a way of meeting water demands, particularly in drought years. During interviews, the Grand Jury found the purchase of water rights to be widespread. Agencies stated the cost of acquiring water rights is significantly less than developing new sources. The practice includes asking agricultural users to allow their land to lay fallow. There are numerous articles about making the agriculture industry more efficient. These effects, if they occur, will take time and be costly. Taking water from a major industry to satisfy urban demands is inherently wrong and will not solve the problem of extended drought. Recycling Water Recycled water offers Orange County a way to reduce water requirements but is limited by the amount of wastewater that can be recycled which in turn is dependent upon available water supply. It is an important piece of Orange County water resiliency but not a solution itself. Recycled water is wastewater that has been treated to a level acceptable for landscaping and certain other industrial uses. The regulations regarding the use and stand for treatment of recycled water are referred to as Title 22.22 Orange County has been a leader in recycling of water through Orange County Water District and Irvine Ranch Water District.23 Irvine Ranch Water District reports that 25% of the water it supplies is recycled. Recycled water replaces the need for using potable water. Currently, various water districts are expanding their recycling systems by constructing additional reservoirs and distribution systems. The cities and water districts in Orange County have also been active in sponsoring legislation that supports recycling of water. South Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA) treats and distributes for reuse roughly six billion gallons of water every year.24 However, not all SOCWA treatment plants are recycling as much as feasible, most notably the JB Latham Treatment Plant does not recycle any treated wastewater. During the interviews, different agencies noted there are jurisdictional friction that is being worked on to increase recycling and potentially water reuse in South Orange County. The Grand Jury strongly encourages cooperation or mergers that would increase recycling in South Orange County.