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Highlights from October 2025

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) recently joined the city of Orange to officially bring online Well 28, a 1,000-foot well that can produce up to 3,000 gallons of water per minute. Built through a strong partnership between the District and the city, this project adds a new groundwater production well, expanding access to the Orange County Groundwater Basin and strengthening local reliability.

At full capacity, the well – Orange's deepest – is expected to provide roughly 14% of the city’s total water production, enough to serve about 20,000 residents. OCWD, which manages the basin, has installed an advanced PFAS treatment system at the site to ensure water meets all state and federal standards. This investment is part of the District’s proactive PFAS response, which continues to set the pace in California and the nation. Working with our retail partners, OCWD has restored 53 out of more than 100 impacted wells to service.

Projects like this are made possible by skilled water professionals who keep high-quality, locally controlled water flowing day and night. With Water Professionals Week recently concluded, I’d like to extend my appreciation to OCWD staff for their work advancing the District’s leadership in PFAS treatment, water reuse and groundwater management. Together with our partners, we are enhancing water resiliency for the 2.5 million people we serve across Orange County.  

Nearly 80 participants joined the Orange County Water District for the annual Groundwater Adventure Tour (GWAT), an all-day, behind-the-scenes exploration of how the District manages and protects the Orange County Groundwater Basin. Led by OCWD experts, the public tour included guided visits to key facilities and recharge sites, including the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) - the largest advanced water purification system of its kind. Participants also toured the Philip L. Anthony Water Quality Laboratory, observed recharge operations along the Santa Ana River, and visited the Burris and La Palma basins and Prado wetlands to see how OCWD captures, treats, and recharges local water supplies.

This year also featured a separate, employee-focused tour that provided staff with the same immersive experience and firsthand insight into OCWD operations and facilities. The internal tour offered employees an opportunity to see the direct impact of their work in supporting the region’s water supply.

To learn more about District facility tours, visit the OCWD Learning Center. 

OCWD’s 29th annual Children's Water Education Festival is back and bigger than ever! The 2026 event will take place in the scenic Oak Canyon Park on April 15-16. Since its inception, more than 158,000 Orange County students have experienced the Festival and all it has to offer. Here are a couple of ways to get involved.

Present

Showcase your organization’s mission by leading interactive activities that spark curiosity and expose students to career opportunities in water and science.

Sponsor

Hosting an event of this magnitude is made possible by the generous support of sponsors. Your support gives students the chance to explore, discover, and connect with science and water in meaningful ways. Sponsorship levels are available to meet your organization's needs. Donations are tax-deductible and may be made online or by mail.

Volunteer

Be part of the excitement! Share your energy and enthusiasm to guide students, support exhibits, and help create a memorable and meaningful experience for OC students. 

OCWD recently welcomed two groups, demonstrating the District leadership in sharing expertise to advancing water management.

As part of Assemblymember Tri Ta’s Youth in Government Series, approximately 20 high school students toured the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) and heard from OCWD Director Cathy Green, who described her path from nursing to public service and outlined ways students can engage in civic leadership and the water sector.

Separately, OCWD hosted the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators during its annual conference. The visit opened with a keynote by Principal Regulatory Specialist Claire Johnson and continued with a GWRS tour led by Executive Director of Water Quality & Technical Resources Jason Dadakis. Attendees included representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; state drinking water programs in California, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, and Tennessee; and U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

These visits merit attention because they show how OCWD - recognized as a leader in the water industry - actively shares operational knowledge, educates future leaders, and strengthens regulatory partnerships to move water forward.

Recently, OCWD brought hands-on science activities to Golden West College’s (GWC) "Science Nite" and supported the Yorba Linda Water District’s (YLWD) annual open house, meeting families, students and neighbors eager to understand how local water works.

At the family-friendly STEM night hosted by GWC and the Huntington Beach Rotary, OCWD’s booth featured an aquifer model that illustrates how the Orange County Groundwater Basin stores water and how wells deliver reliable drinking water to residents in our service area. Also on display were microfiltration and reverse osmosis filters to show how the GWRS recycles 100% of the Orange County Sanitation District’s reclaimable flows into purified drinking water that is recharged into the basin.

OCWD also participated in YLWD’s open house, which welcomed a record crowd of about 500 people. OCWD partnered with YLWD to construct the J. Wayne Miller, Ph.D. Water Treatment Plant, the nation's largest PFAS treatment plant. Highlights included fully booked tours of the facility. As a community partner, OCWD hosted an informational booth on how we manage and protect the basin.

Through these types of engagements, the District appreciates and enjoys the opportunity to connect with its community members! 

Congratulations to Andrew Huang, senior laboratory analyst/data scientist, for being named 2025 Employee of the Third Quarter! Andrew was recognized for his initiative, dedication and far-reaching contributions across the Research & Development department and the broader District. He exemplifies OCWD’s values by pairing innovation with collaboration and delivering practical results that strengthen water reliability and quality.

Over a particularly demanding quarter, Andrew stepped up to cover significant additional responsibilities while continuing to advance his own projects. He assumed maintenance of select pilot operations at the District’s Engineering Research Center, performing work that requires careful planning, safe chemical handling and constant performance monitoring.

At the same time, Andrew led extensive field work at the District’s Field Research Laboratory for a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation–funded study, coordinating multi-hour sampling events to collect water from PFAS treatment media columns and large concrete test cells. Taking on complex, hands-on assignments while meeting core deadlines - and doing so with a positive attitude - demonstrates Andrew’s strong work ethic and technical skills.

Learn about OCWD's role in providing a safe, reliable, local water supply by attending an event, webinar or tour. Individuals and groups are invited to tour the award-winning GWRS and other District facilities.

Through our active speakers bureau program, you may request for our staff to come speak to organizations and schools, as well as conferences and events.