Orange County Water District

Society of American Military Engineers

Orange County Post

Mehul Patel, P.E. – Orange County Water District

Director of Water Production/GWRS
 Orange County Water District

•  Special water district created in 1933

•  Manage and protect the groundwater basin
•  Serve approximately 2.4 million residents
•  19 Cities and Retail Water Districts
•  10 member board of directors
•  Total water demands (groundwater and imported water)
~ 450,000 afy
 Orange County’s Water
►  Northern and central Orange County
receives approximately 70% of its
water supply from large
groundwater basin managed by the
Orange County Water District
►  South of the city of Irvine, Orange
County is nearly 100% dependent on
imported water from Northern
California and the Colorado River
 OCWD Operational Facilities

►  Groundwater  Replenishment  System  

►  Operates  400  acre  constructed  
wetlands  to  remove  nitrogen  from  a  
por<on  of  the  river  flows  feeding  
Prado  Dam  and  stores  water  behind  
the  dam  to  increase  storage.  
►  Santa  Ana  River  (SAR)  Facili<es  in  
Anaheim  and  Orange  capture  water  
for  groundwater  recharge.  OCWD  
maintains  water  rights  to  the  SAR  
downstream  of  Prado  Dam.  

 
 Desilting System

Deep Basin System

Santa Ana River

Off-River System

Burris Basin/Santiago System

FROM  1961-­‐2008,  OCWD  EXPANDED  THE  RECHARGE  
SYSTEM  TO  OVER  24  FACILITES    (1,500  ACRES)  
 Managing Santa Ana River Water

Santa Ana River

Burris Basin
The T and L levees spread Santa Ana River water and also provide nesting and
roosting habitat for numerous types of water fowl.
Groundwater Basin Cross Section
 Seawater Intrusion Barrier Produc<on  
Injec<on  
Desired  Seawater   Wells   Wells  
Holding  Point  

Pacific  Ocean  

Talbert Aquifer
Talbert  

Alpha  

Beta  

Lambda  

Main    Aquifer  
                                 Current  Extent  of  Seawater  Intrusion  
Sources of Water For
Groundwater Basin
 Summary of Projects
1.  GWRS Final Expansion
2.  Mid Basin Injection Wells
3.  Prado Dam Sediment Management
4.  North Basin Groundwater Protection
5.  South Basin Groundwater Protection
6.  Santiago Pits Recharge Basin Saddle repair
 GWRS Final Expansion
•  Construction of a 30 MGD expansion to the existing
AWPF plant. Cost estimate is ~ $140 million (includes
pump station & pipeline at OCSD Plant No. 2)
•  Current status – Studying best way to expand GWRS
and how to recycle sewage from OCSD Plant #2 -
complete study by May 2016.
•  FY16-17 design project
•  State low interest loan
•  Out to bid - Fall 2017
 GWRS Final Expansion
Microfiltration West
Six New RO Skids Ward Street Bldg Expansion
ADD PROJECT LOCATION MAP HERE
(1.5 new trains)
OCWD
Admin
Three New
Bldg
UV Trains

N
New Product Water and
BW Supply Pumps
 OCWD & OCSD Site Plan
405  Freeway  
OCWD  GWRS  Facility  
OCSD  Plant  No.  1  

Proposed  
Pipeline  for  
RehabilitaBon  

River a  
 An
 
Santa
OCSD  Plant  No.  2  

New  Pump  StaBon  

 Mid Basin Injection Expansion
•  Drilling four injection wells at Santa Ana’s Centennial
Park. This Park is located across the Santa Ana River
from the Mid Basin Demonstration Project.
•  Cost estimate is $26-30 Million
•  Current status - EIR complete in early 2016. Tetra Tech
at about 30% design
•  Will Apply for Prop 1 and SRF Loan funding
•  Out to bid Fall 2016
Mid Basin Injection Expansion Location Map
 Prado Sediment Management
Demonstration Project
•  Demonstration project to remove material deposited
behind Prado Dam
•  Excavation and hauling, dredging
•  Current cost estimate is ~ $6 Million
•  Current status – EIR ready to be certified
•  Out to bid in Summer 2016
 Prado Sediment Management
Demonstration Project Location Map

Prado  Desil<ng  Demonstra<on  

 North Basin Groundwater
Protection Project
•  Remediation of VOC and perchlorate contamination
•  Construct extraction wells and treatment system(s)
•  Cost estimate is ~ $40 million range
•  Current status – defining area of contamination and
selecting best treatment options
•  Prop 1 funding
•  Legal lawsuits
•  Out to bid - ~ 2017
North Basin Groundwater Protection Project

•  3,000  gpm  flow  rate  

•  $40  million  to  construct  
•  $4  million/yr  for  O&M  
 South Basin Groundwater
Protection Project
•  Remediation of VOC and perchlorate contamination
•  Construct extraction wells and treatment system(s)
•  Cost estimate is ~ $40 million range
•  Current status – defining area of contamination and
selecting best treatment options
•  Prop 1 funding
•  Legal lawsuits
•  Out to bid - ~ 2018
 South Basin
Groundwater
Protection Project
Location Map
 Santiago Pits Recharge Basin
Saddle Repair
•  Repair slopes and earthen weir at recharge basin
•  Remedial grading with mechanical soil stabilization
•  Rip-rap weir and slope protection
•  Cost estimate is ~ $5.1 million
•  Current status – finalizing design
•  FEMA funding pending
•  Out to bid – Summer 2016
Santiago Pits Recharge Basin
Saddle Repair Project
 Doing Business with OCWD
•  How does OCWD advertise Public
Works Construction Projects?
–  On our website. www.ocwd.com
–  Public Notice in the OC Register
–  Plan Rooms
•  Dodge – McGraw-Hill Construction
•  Reed Construction Data
•  isqft San Diego, AGC San Diego, and
•  the Blue Book Network
End of Presentation