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HISTORIC RAIN, YET DROUGHT REMAINS <br /> <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 I 2023 Page 43 of 57 <br /> <br />Weather modification <br />and promoting water <br />efficiency are the <br />primary drought <br />responses of SAWP. <br />Through weather <br />modification (cloud <br />seeding) it hopes to <br />achieve 5% more <br />precipitation in <br />specific types of <br />storms. <br /> <br />The water efficiency approach is to help implement water use efficiency programs and <br />conservation-based rate structures.29 We were provided with no specifics regarding <br />what percentage can be saved, but through interviews the Grand Jury learned that the <br />savings are between 15% to 30%. <br /> <br />None of the initiatives by SAWPA are likely to have an impact on water supplies during <br />prolonged California drought. Interviewees consistently stated that we cannot conserve <br />our way out of a drought. <br /> <br />Adding to the concern about the Santa Ana River ground water supply basin is the <br />Inland Empire’s future demands on the water. Development is rapidly taking place and <br />surface water sources and water agencies are recycling water to greater degrees rather <br />than discharging treated wastewater to the Santa Ana River.30 The Inland Empire <br />communities are largely dependent upon Metropolitan Water District supplies which are <br />subject to drought. <br /> <br />Orange County Water District only has rights to withdrawing an adjudicated amount of <br />34,000-acre feet of water from the Santa Ana River. This is approximately half of the <br />70,000-acre feet typically used to manage the aquifer levels. OCWD typically purchases <br />30% of the water added to the aquifer from MWDOC. The water MWDOC supplies <br />comes from Metropolitan Water District (MET). During late 2022, MET reduced the <br />water from Northern California Sources to 5% of previous amounts. The water MET <br />receives from the Colorado River is endangered as discussed elsewhere. <br /> <br />In summary, the Central and North Orange County aquifer has limits on its ability to <br />supply water to Orange County. These include dependencies on water from <br />Metropolitan Water District, which has had problems supplying water, and a potentially <br />dwindling supply of water from the Santa Ana River. The aquifer is not a supply of water <br />for South Orange County. The aquifer limitations reinforce the need for Orange County <br />to provide for a more drought-resistant supply of water. <br />