Sound planning
OCWD’s mission is to provide a reliable, high-quality water supply in a cost-effective and environmentally sensitive manner. Ensuring that Orange County businesses and residents continue to receive the water they need, when they need it, requires planning and investment.
OCWD’s proactive approach to planning and investment has already resulted in a groundwater basin that is protected against seawater intrusion and has tripled in annual yield since the 1960s. Increased groundwater yield is primarily due to OCWD’s investments in using recycled and imported water to replenish groundwater, and programs that increase the amount of recharge of surface water from the stormwater and the Santa Ana River.
As arid Orange County continues to grow and be challenged by increasing demand and constrained imported water supplies, we are planning and investing in ways to get even more water into and out of the groundwater basin. OCWD’s Resilience Plan was designed to ensure the future security of our water resources by maintaining sustainable groundwater conditions and building resilience by adopting adaptive strategies that address both known and unforeseen challenges.
OCWD’s sound planning priorities:
- Conservative approach to water supply and reliability planning
- Long-term view and regional perspective on reliability planning with five to 25-year planning horizon
- Regional scope, including southwest, watershed, and Orange County reliability issues
- Collaboration with water agencies in Orange County and the Santa Ana Watershed
- Resilience plan – updated as needed
- Groundwater management plan – updated every five years
- Comprehensive asset management