South Orange County gears up for future droughts, water emergencies

Jun. 25—While the water districts of south Orange County appear well-poised to handle this second year of drought, most of that region is almost entirely dependent on imported water and officials are busy developing alternative sources.

An online gathering of top water officials on Friday, June 25, detailed the current water availability in south county and outlined projects to supplant imports should future flows from northern California and the Colorado River be curtailed by dwindling supplies or interrupted by earthquakes.

"The bad news for California as a whole and the West overall is that we're in a serious drought," said Rob Hunter, general manager of the Municipal Water District of Orange County. His district receives imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and distributes it to local agencies in the county.

"The good news is that Metropolitan has more water storage than ever," he said at the forum, hosted by the South Orange County Economic Forum. "Southern California, because of its investments, is in much better shape than most of the rest of the state."

Metropolitan reports that it has roughly 13 times more water stored in reservoirs and aquifers than it had in the 1990s. It says it can handle the drought with no water-use restrictions on imported water at least through 2021.

Also helping the current outlook is a dramatic reduction in per capita water consumption, thanks to campaigns and incentives for low-flow showerheads and toilets as well as for drought-proof landscaping. Additionally, the growing stock of recycled wastewater, typically used for irrigation, is easing the pressures of demand.

"Residents and businesses really stepped up and reduced their demand (during past droughts), and those demands haven't come back," said Dan Ferons, general manager of the Santa Margarita Water District. He said his district uses the same amount of water as in the late 1980s despite having 60,000 more residents.

Portfolio diversity

When it comes to water sources, officials' mantra is "diversity."

While most of south Orange County relies on imports for 90% or more of its water, the north and central parts of the county import only about 25% of their water. That's because, unlike districts to the south, north and central county have access Santa Ana River water. They also have a huge groundwater aquifer to store and distribute water, and they have an innovative groundwater replenishment system to top off the aquifer.

That system, which purifies wastewater and pumps it into the aquifer, supplies another 25% of the region's needs, with an expansion underway to increase that share. Additionally, north and central county would be beneficiaries of the controversial Poseidon Water desalination proposal for Huntington Beach, should that long-developing project come to fruition.

The difference between the two regions is stark for water officials, given the south's near-total dependence on imports.

"If we were severed from that supply — to cut residential and business supply by 90% — that's too much," said Rick Shintaku, general manager of the South Coast Water District.

Among alternative sources being pursued by Shintaku's district is a desalination plant that would be located near Doheny State Beach. That project has been endorsed by some of the same environmentalists opposing the Poseidon proposal, with those advocates pointing to the Doheny plan's more environmentally sensitive technology and smaller size, as well as that area's great potential need.

Shintaku said his district is exploring energy alternatives for running the plant, performing additional cost analysis and looking at a scaled-down version — but he hopes to have all necessary permits by next spring. The project, originally envisioned as serving several water districts in south county, would benefit from the economy of a larger scale, but potential partners are waiting to see how the endeavor develops before committing.

"Partnerships will be key," Shintaku said.

More alternatives

Shintaku is also talking to the Irvine Ranch Water District, which has more access to groundwater, about a collaboration to access some of that district's water. Irvine Ranch, meanwhile, has invested in a project in Kern County to store water there that could be used in Orange County on an emergency basis.

Among other projects for south county is Santa Margarita Water District's partnership with the private Cadiz Water Project, which could result in water being piped from groundwater supplies in the Mojave Desert to Orange County.

Meanwhile, Santa Margarita this year completed construction of its $109 million Trampas Canyon Reservoir. Once filled with treated wastewater, the reservoir will be used for irrigation, but the district plans to eventually make that water potable. If seen to fruition, that could supply 30% of potable water for the district, which is now entirely dependent on imports for tap water.

But none of the agencies are planning total independence from imported water.

"We're not trying to get off Metropolitan," Shintaku said. "But we're trying to get to a realistic level."

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