Proposed Groundwater Replenishment System to Receive $37 Million From State Water Bond

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif.-The Groundwater Replenishment System, a proposed Orange County water project that would take highly treated wastewater and purify it to distilled water quality, will receive $37 million in funding, thanks to voters overwhelmingly passing Proposition 13. Funding for the Groundwater Replenishment System was included in the State Water Bond, which passed with nearly 65 percent of the vote. "We are thrilled with the passage of Proposition 13," said Irv Pickler, chair of the Groundwater Replenishment System's Joint Cooperative Committee. "It is especially positive for us here in Orange County, since the bond has earmarked funds specifically for projects that benefit us." Proposition 13 is the first state water bond to specifically earmark funds for Orange County projects and to specify that 60 percent of the money in key funding categories must be spent in Southern California. Specifically, the bond will provide $250 million for the Santa Ana River Watershed, which will directly and indirectly benefit Orange County water by improving the quality of Santa Ana River water. The Santa Ana River recharges the county's groundwater basin, which provides north-central Orange County with 75 percent of its water. Included within the Santa Ana River Watershed Program is $37 million for the Groundwater Replenishment System. Also included is $6 million for environmental and water quality improvements to Upper Newport Bay, $4 million for a Huntington Beach Pollution Study and competitive loans and grants to individual cities and water districts throughout Orange County to help fund water quality, water conservation, water recycling, watershed protection and pollution prevention programs. The Groundwater Replenishment System would take highly treated wastewater that is now discharged to the ocean and purify it to distilled water quality through 100 percent reverse osmosis, microfiltration and ultraviolet disinfection technologies. The water will then be recharged into the county's vast groundwater basin. Groundwater Replenishment System water also will be used to prevent seawater intrusion into the groundwater basin as the county continues to use more groundwater each year. SOURCE: Orange County Water District