Planning to meet future water requirements by Orange County, California

Abstract

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) is challenged with management of the major groundwater basin in Orange County, California. Its responsibilities include replenishment and protection of both quantity and quality of the groundwater. The District has historically considered all possible alternatives for maintaining the groundwater basin. It has spread local runoff, utilized all available imported water, and produced reclaimed wastewater to replenish the basin and retard seawater intrusion. The construction and implementation of Water Factory 21 has demonstrated the feasibility and proven the technology of wastewater reuse projects to meet the increased demands of the twenty-first century.In the future, Orange County and other regions of the world will no longer have the luxury of depending totally upon traditional water supplies or importation of water from the distant watersheds. As a result, Southern California will not have the water affluence to dispose more than half of its water supply to the ocean. Conservation and reuse will be the guidelines for extending water resources. Because of these factors, and since Water Factory 21 has opened the door by demonstrating the feasibility of reclamation, OCWD will endeavor to remain in the forefront by developing innovative projects to produce reusable water. In the future, options such as the Orange county Irrigation and Reuse System, the Seal Beach Reclamation Plant, the Anaheim Forebay Project and the Corona Desalter will provide water supply alternatives. It is our belief that reclamation, desalting and reuse will have significant roles in future groundwater management and water supply, not only in Orange County but also throughout the world.