Highlights from December 2023

Happy new year! 2023 was a remarkable year with many memorable achievements. OCWD celebrated 90 years of successful groundwater management, completed the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) and increased groundwater pumping to a record-high 85%. 

Protecting our water supplies remains a top priority. Our staff diligently monitor, sample and test thousands of locations throughout the Orange County Groundwater Basin to ensure safe and high-quality drinking water is provided year-round. We continue to make significant progress addressing PFAS, working with our retailers to get impacted wells back online. To date, several treatment plants have been built, enabling 34 wells to be restored. 

We maximized water supplies through stormwater capture and are one step closer to implementing Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) at Prado Dam. Using improved forecasting tools that can better track storms and atmospheric rivers, we’ve learned that FIRO can safely increase water storage behind the dam. This water can then be released at rates that OCWD can capture and recharge into the groundwater basin, increasing Orange County’s water supplies and saving millions of dollars in alternative costs.

As we embark on a new year, we are committed to driving innovation and advancements for water in Orange County. We look forward to another successful year ahead!  

Please join us in reflecting on accomplishments from 2023, which would not be possible without the leadership of our board, the work of our dedicated staff, and the support from our water retailers, the water industry and all our community partners. 

Looking ahead, we remain steadfast in our mission to manage and protect the Orange County Groundwater Basin, ensure exceptional water quality, increase local water supplies, maintain environmental stewardship, continue sound financial management, innovate through new research and science, and engage with our communities.

Over the holidays, OCWD staff proudly coordinated another successful toy and gift drive through the Operation Santa Claus and Senior Santa & Friends programs.

Operation Santa Claus is a County of Orange Board of Supervisors approved program and is the only official County holiday toy drive. Last year this program distributed over 16,000 new toys and gifts, bringing joy and a message of hope to our most vulnerable children in Orange County who might otherwise have gone without. Items received through Senior Santa & Friends help to enhance the quality of life for our seniors in need, making life easier, more comfortable or more independent.

Special shout-out to OCWD Accountant Donna Pike for coordinating the toy drive at District headquarters year after year and thank you to all who helped spread holiday cheer in our community!

OCWD and its partners are proud to announce the completion of a final viability assessment which confirmed promising news for Orange County: increased stormwater capture at Prado Dam.

The findings from the report quantify the effectiveness of Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO), showing that we can safely increase storage behind the dam and put more water back into the Orange County Groundwater Basin. As a result, we can increase water supply reliability for the region and decrease our dependence on imported water from far sources such as the Colorado River and northern California, which is increasingly more expensive and less reliable. 

The GWRS was recognized as an outstanding groundwater supply project by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). The GWRS increases local water supplies through reuse and recharge, producing 130 million gallons of water every day - enough to serve nearly one million people.

GWRS water has become a primary source used to refill the groundwater basin and has enabled OCWD’s 19 cities and water retailers to pump more water from the basin and become more locally sustainable.

Check out this great spotlight on OCWD Senior Scientist Christine Pham, who is featured in the December 2023 issue of Journal AWWA. She talks about her current research projects, the path to her current role (spoiler alert: she began as an OCWD intern!) and her inspirations along the way.

Christine works in the District's Research and Development department and her research supports maintaining high-quality water in the groundwater basin and optimizing the groundwater recharge process.

In December 2023, the Yorba Linda Water District hosted a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Well 22, a significant water supply source for the 80,000 customers the District serves. Well 22, situated adjacent to the Santa Ana River, is one of ten potable drinking water wells in the YLWD service area.

From this well, groundwater is pumped and sent to its Ion Exchange PFAS Water Treatment Plant and chlorination facilities where the water is treated before being distributed to its customers.

State Regulations on Direct Potable Reuse

Following years of research and public engagement, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted regulations on direct potable reuse (DPR), establishing criteria to transform recycled water into safe, reliable purified water, for blending directly into a community’s existing drinking water system. This decision represents a major milestone in expanding California’s water supply and opens the door for agencies across the state to explore local projects that can strengthen their water portfolio.

For decades, OCWD has led the industry in advancing water reuse policy and projects, as seen through its Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) project – the world’s largest indirect potable reuse (IPR) facility. OCWD staff and board have supported the development of DPR regulations and have engaged in discussions and expert panels to provide insight and lessons learned from the successful implementation of GWRS.

Santa Ana River Watershed Weather Modification Pilot Program

The Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) conducted a feasibility study in 2020 to assess the potential benefits of weather modification (cloud seeding) in increasing water supply in the Santa Ana River watershed. As a result of the study, the Santa Ana River Watershed Weather Modification Pilot Program was launched in November 2023 and will continue through April 2027.

The District is seeking a qualified applicant to serve on its Board of Directors to represent Division 7, which includes the city of Costa Mesa and parts of Irvine and Newport Beach.

The appointed director will be one of 10 directors who governs the District and implements policies that foster sound management of the Orange County Groundwater Basin to support the advancement of OCWD’s mission to provide an adequate, reliable, high-quality water supply. To be eligible, a person must be a resident and voter of Division 7. Interested parties are asked to submit a letter of interest and/or resume to OCWD by 5:00 p.m. on January 10, 2024. Full qualifications and submission instructions may be found in the District’s Notice of Vacancy.

Join us at the upcoming Children's Water Education Festival on March 27 & 28 at UCI, where thousands of OC elementary students will learn about protecting water, STEM and more! Hosting an event of this magnitude is made possible by our generous sponsors, presenters and dedicated volunteers. We are proud to work with such committed organizations and individuals each year.

Visit www.childrenwaterfestival.com to sign up today, or to learn more.

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 expert staff to come speak to organizations and schools, as well as local, national and international conferences.