Groundwater

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The northern portion of the county lies above a large aquifer known as the Orange County Groundwater Basin. This water source provides a significant portion of water for the Orange County cities north of Newport Beach and Irvine. It is estimated that 2.4 million Orange County residents rely on the Basin for half of their total water consumption.

The Orange County Water District (OCWD), one of the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) 28 member agencies, was formed by a special act of the California State Legislature to protect Orange County’s rights to water in the Santa Ana River. OCWD’s primary responsibility is managing the groundwater basin.

OC Water Supply
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Urban Water Management Plan
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