Local water providers

The Orange County Water District is a wholesale water agency that provides groundwater to cities and agencies in north and central Orange County.

Local water suppliers establish the price of water delivered to customers. The rate charged for water is impacted by multiple factors, including the cost of groundwater; the cost of imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River; the cost to construct, operate and maintain pipelines, reservoirs and pumps to deliver water to homes or businesses; and the administrative cost of operating a retail water system. Suppliers’ rates can vary depending upon the age of the water system, how much groundwater is used versus more expensive imported water and other factors. For this reason, OCWD attempts to maximize the amount of groundwater available to retail agencies, while sustainably managing the basin.

South Orange County is more vulnerable during times of drought and pays almost three times as much for its water than residents in north and central Orange County because almost 90 percent of its water is imported from hundreds of miles away. However, south Orange County communities are looking to make more investments in local projects like water recycling to help close the gap.

For questions about your water bill or home/business water service, contact your local water supplier: