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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 Grndwtr Replenishement Syst.Report to :the ITEM #3 Planning Commission DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECTi: OCTOBER 27, 2003 PLANNING COMMISSION ELIZABETH A. BINSACK, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM PRESENTATION SUMMARY Ron Wildermuth, Director of Communications, Orange County Water District, will provide an overview of the proposed Groundwater Replenishment System. The system is projected to take effect by 2007. Attached are related materials. Elizabeth A. Binsack Community Development Director Attachment A: Groundwater Replenishment System Fact Sheet Attachmertt B: Groundwater Replenishment System Questions & Answers PCReports:Groundwater Replenishment ATTACHMENT A Fact Sheet Groundwater Replenishment System Fact Sheet A new visibnary water purification project is being developed in Orange County and it's called the Groundwater Replenishment System. The Groundwater Replenishment System will help increase Orange County's water independence by creating a locally controlled, drought-proof supply of safe, high-quality water- enough water to meet the annual needs of 140,000 families by 2007. The Groundwater Replenishment System will take highly treated sewer water from the Orange C~unty Sanitation District, water that is currently released into the ocean, and purify it through one of the world's most advanced water purification systems, consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide. The purified w~ter will then be injected into a seawater intrusion barrier, with the remaining water pumped to spreading basins in Anaheim, where it will naturally filter through the ground and blend w~th Orange County s other sources of groundwater. Th~s water w~ll follow the ~ame natural filtering process rainwater has taken since time began. Most of the drinking water for north and central Orange County is drawn from the groundwater basin. Water pro~Juced by the Groundwater Replenishment System will be so pure that it will actually reverse a growing "hard water" mineral-content problem in the basin that has been caused by filling the groundwater basin with water from the Colorado and Santa Ana Rivers for many years. Groundwater Replenishment System water will exceed all state and federal drinking water standards and have water quality similar to bottle water. Project benefits: The Groundwater Replenishment System provides a safe, reliable, locally controlled supply of v~ater to replenish the groundwater basin; to protect the groundwater basin from seawater intrusion; to help meet predicted future water shortages; and decrease our reliance on expensive imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River that is experiencing cutbacks. The water from the Groundwater Replenishment System will help make Orange County be more tolerant of future droughts. Construcl~ion required: A new treatment plant on existing water agency land in Fountain Valley, new injection wells for an expanded seawater intrusion barrier and a 13-mile pipeline alongside the Santa Ana River between Fountain Valley and Anaheim. Location Of construction: Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Orange and Santa Aha. Agency reviews and approvals: More than !a dozen federal, state and local agencies responsible for health, environmelntal safety and water quality will review and/or approve the Groundwater Replenishment System before it is built. Proposed schedule: 1994: Project research began. 1999: Completed environmental review. 2000: Contpleted project development in preparation of project design. 2001: Water agencies' Boards of Directors voted to proceed with project design. 2002: Project design proceeding, various project components anywhere from 60% to 100% complete. 2003: Full-Scale project construction could begin spring/summer timeframe. 2007: Projbct scheduled to be operational, producing about 70,000 acre-feet per year. As need a~ises, project capacity can be expanded. Estimatedl Phase I cost: Approximately $450 million. Funding slources: A mix of federal, state and local funding is being applied to this project. Grants of $92.5 million have been secured, which includes $37 million from the State Water Bond (Proposition 13) approved by California voters in 2000, $30 million from the California Department of Water Resources and $5 million from the State Water Resources Control Board awarded in 2002. Additional grants have been provided by the California Energy Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Reclamation and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Additional grants will be pursued in the future. Awards "1998 Planned Project of the Year" presented by the WateReuse Association of California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2002 Environmental Achievement Award. The Groundwater Replenishment System Education and Information Program was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as a national example of "best practices" in communicating scientific information. Project Area Facts Acre-foot:' Sufficient Water for two families for an entire year, about 326,000 gallons, or amount of water to cbver football field to a depth of one foot. Project area: 350 square miles in north and central Orange County, overlying Orange County's large groundwater basin. Project area population: 2.3 mdhon residents; 300,000 to 700,000 additional Orange County residents projected by 2020. Current w~ater demand: 505,000 aCre-feet per year. Projected iwater demand in 2020: 605,000 aCre-feet per year. Current sources of water in North Orange County: Currently, ~pproximately 70 percent groundwater, 30 percent imported (purchased) water from the Colorado River and State Water Project. Orange COunty Water District: Agency responsible for providing groundwater to 23 cities and water agencies in north- central Orange County; protecting Orange County's flow of the Santa Aha River; and for managing and protecting the Orange County groundwater basin. Orange COunty Sanitation District: Agency responsible for collecting, treating and disposing of wastewater generated in 23 cities in nolrth and central Orange County. ATTACHMENT B Questions & Answers e.. Q. Groundwater Replenishment System Questions & Answers What is the Groundwater Replenishment System? Th~ Groundwater Replenishment System is an innovative project that will create a new, safe and reliable water supply to meet the county's increased demand for high-quality water. The Groundwater Replenishment System will take highly treated sewer water currently released into the ocean, direct it through one of the world's most advanced water treatment plants that includes microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide treatment, and allow it to percolate into, the groundwater basin along the same natural filtering path rainwater takes through the ground. Water will also be injected along the coast to maintain a seawater intrusion barrier to keep the Pacific Ocean out of our groundwater basin. These water purification processes have a proven track record in providing safe, high quality water for many businesses including bottled water companies. The resulting purified water will help prevent future water shortages and be of higher quality than water sources currently used to recharge the groundwater baslin. Most of the drinking water for north and central Orange County is drawn from the groundwater basin. Why is the Groundwater Replenishment System needed? The Groundwater Replenishment System is needed to help prevent future water shorrtages. The Groundwater Replenishment System's service area's population stands at 2.3 million, but as our families have families, the population is projected to continue to increase to 2.8 million by 2020. Currently, this 350-square-mile area of Orange County uses approximately 500,000 acre-feet of water per year. To put that number in perspective, one acre-foot of water is sufficient to serve the ne~ds of two families of four for an entire year. Experts estimate that the region will ,need nearly 120,000 additional acre-feet annually by the year 2020. With increased demand, increased need for water for the environment, decreased availability of imported water and the requirement for higher water quaility, water supplies will become even more limited and expensive. In order to meet growing water demand, the Orange County Water District is looking for ways to provide a safe, reliable, high quality water supply. This project is the environmentally responsible thing to do. Q: Where will the Groundwater Replenishment System be built? A; Q: Q: Q: Q: The advanced water treatment plant will be located at current water agency facilities in Fountain Valley. In addition, the Orange County Water District will construct a 13-mile pipeline between Fountain Valley and Anaheim to pump the purified water to ponds located in Anaheim, and additional seawater intrusion injection wells along the coast. In Anaheim, the water would then percolate naturally from the recharge ponds or lakes into the groundwater basin. What is the project schedule? In March 1999, the environmental review documents for the Groundwater Replenishment System were unanimously certified by the water agencies' Boards of Directors, marking the first major milestone for the Groundwater Replenishment System. The project schedule includes obtaining a State Department of Health Services permit, conducting a water quality study, completing project development studies and conducting widespread public info~'mation activities. A vote by the agencies' Boards of Directors to proceed with project final design was held in March 2001. The project should start delivering purified water in 2007. The project can be expanded in future years, if needed. HoW much would the Groundwater Replenishment System cost? The first phase of the project (approximately 70,000 acre-feet per year) is estimated to cost about $450 million. That is less than the cost of two postage stamps on the average residential water bill per month. Who will pay for the Groundwater Replenishment System? A ~ix of federal, state and local funding is being used. Grants of $92.5 million havle been secured, which includes $37 million from the State Water Bond (Proposition 13) approved by California voters in 2000, $30 million from the Callfornia Department of Water Resources and $5 million from the State Water Resources Control Board awarded in 2002. Additional funds have been granted by t~he California Energy Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of iReclamation and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Additional grants are being sought. WoUld the water it produces be safe? AbSolutely. In fact, a separate study has indicated it will be the safest water available to Orange County in the future from any soume. The water would be treated--with the most advanced technologies available--to near-distilled water quelity, exceeding state and federal drinking water standards. Copies of the water quality study paper are available at www.gwrsystem.com or by calling 714- 378-3206. For the past 20 years, people have been drinking some reclaimed water that has been blended into our natural sources of drinking water supplies. Every major body of water in the nation contains some amount of purified wastewater. Orange County and other communities inject purified water into seawater Q: Q: Q: Q: intrusion barriers, where it blends with groundwater. The groundwater is then pumped out and piped to homes and businesses. In areas of Los Angeles CoLlnty, as well as many areas throughout the country and the world, reclaimed water has been used to recharge groundwater basins for decades. How would the water be treated to ensure that it is safe for drinking water? The water would be purified using microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide treatment techniques. The1 first process is microfiltration (MF). Microfiltration is also used to purify food products, such as fruit juices, wine and baby foods, and to sterilize medicines thatl cannot be heated. The next, and most widely known process, is reverse osmosis (RO). Reverse osmosis is used by many bottled water companies to purify water for their products. Water is directed under high pressure through thin, membranes that eliminate salts, viruses, pesticides, and most organic compounds, creating near-distilled quality water. The final stage of the water- treatment process is ultraviolet (UV) light and hydrogen peroxide treatment. UV light (similar to concentrated light) combined with hydrogen peroxide is the most effective way to eliminate any remaining compounds in water by breaking them down into their basic elements such as carbon dioxide and water. UV with hydrogen peroxide provides a powerful oxidation process that destroys Iow molecular weight or specially charged organic compounds and thoroughly disinfects the water prior to its use. Wh~) would monitor this process to ensure safety? In order for the Groundwater Replenishment System to proceed, it must be revibwed and approved by more than a dozen federal, state and local agencies responsible for protecting the environment, public health and water quality. Once the project is built and fully operational, the purified water would be monitored continuously, 24 hours a day. HoW would the Groundwater Replenishment System help in a drought? Southern Californians are all too familiar with the reality of droughts and the extreme pressure they can exert on an already strained water supply. In order to help minimize the effects of droughts in the future, the Groundwater Replenishment System would help keep Orange County's groundwater basin filled. Because the water source will be available regardless of a drought, the Groundwater Replenishment System would act as a countermeasure against droaghts, providing Orange County with a dependable supply of pure, clean water. It would also help ease regional and state needs, especially important in a drought. What effect might the project have on water rates? An independent rate study showed that the project will have little effect on water rates. Groundwater Replenishment System water will cost water ratepayers less than two postage stamps per month. e.. Az e. In any case water officials expect water rates to rise in the future as the state and county's populations grow, as imported water becomes less reliable and as future water quality requirements become more restrictive. Replenishing Orange CoUnty's groundwater basin with Groundwater Replenishment System purified water is a cost-effective solution to the county's future water demand. Which communities would benefit from the Groundwater Replenishment SyStem? Communities within the water agencies' service areas would primarily benefit from the Groundwater Replenishment System. This includes Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Oralnge, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, WeStminster and Yorba Linda. If past experience is any example, during the last droUght, the groundwater basin was drawn down to free up imported water for South Orange County. The Groundwater Replenishment System would help provide water for this to occur again, when there is another severe drought. How can the public participate in the decision-making process? Public input is considered vital to the success of the project. The public can attend Groundwater Replenishment System Joint Cooperative Committee meetings. Meeting schedules are available by calling (714) 378-3200. A Gro!undwater Replenishment System Web site is available to ask and receive answers to questions about the project: www.,qwrsystem.com. Thirty-five elected and appointed officials representing the affected cities will be invblved in the approval process. The public is encouraged to write or call the Oralnge County Water District and the Orange County Sanitation District Boards of Directors to let them know their thoughts on the project. See their Web sites at WWW.ocwd.com and www.ocsd.com. Where can the public get more information? For!more information, contact Ron Wildermuth, Public Information Officer at the Orainge County Water District, (714) 378-3351. Or' visit the Groundwater Replenishment System Web site at www.gwrsystem.com. Members of the Groundwater Replenishment System staff would like to talk to your group, neighborhood, civic or church organization. Call (714) 378-3333 to schedule a Groundwater Replenishment System presentation for your group or club. A Groundwater Replenishment System video and the Environmental Impact Report are available at public libraries located in the Orange County Water District's service area.