CIAB/PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION
SUBMITTED TO: MEMBERS OF CIAB/PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION
SUBMITTED BY: Chau Vu, Director of Public Works
PREPARED BY: Kristen Schroeder, Water Quality Supervisor
Subject:
title
Review of the Interagency Water Transfer Feasibility Study with Mesa Water District
body
Statement of Issue:
This item provides an update to the Public Works Commission on the results of a completed feasibility study conducted in coordination with Mesa Water District to evaluate a potential interagency groundwater transfer using the existing OC-44 pipeline. The study examined technical feasibility, regulatory considerations within the Orange County Water District basin, and long-term implications for water supply reliability and cost management.
Financial Impact:
The feasibility study estimates that the proposed water transfer program could provide approximately $1,951,661 in annual cost savings for the City, with continued long-term financial benefits projected through 2050. These projections do not include initial program costs, such as required infrastructure construction, legal and regulatory compliance, and SCADA modifications. When all costs are considered, the study anticipates a return on investment in less than five years.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
No action needed. This is informational only.
end
Alternative Action(s):
Not applicable.
Analysis:
Water producers in the Orange County Groundwater Basin are currently allowed to meet up to 85 percent of their water demand using local groundwater, purchased from the Orange County Water District (OCWD) at a cost of $711 per acre-foot (plus power and treatment). The remaining 15 percent must be supplied using imported water from the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) at a much higher cost of $1,528 per acre-foot.
Mesa Water operates the Mesa Water Reliability Facility (MWRF), which pumps from a deeper aquifer that is not subject to the 85 percent pumping limitation. This al...
Click here for full text