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OWASA briefed Climate Council on local water supplies, shortage stages and surcharges
Summary
OWASA presented reservoir capacities, drought vulnerabilities and the Water Shortage Response Plan to the Orange County Climate Council, explaining staged restrictions on irrigation and a tiered surcharge schedule that increases with declared shortage stages.
OWASA presented its local drought assessment and Water Shortage Response Plan to the Orange County Climate Council on May 14, detailing current reservoir capacities, the utility's main vulnerabilities and the surcharge schedule that would apply during declared water shortages.
The presentation identified University Lake (about 0.45 billion gallons) and Cane Creek Reservoir (about 3.0 billion gallons) as primary local sources, with Quarry Reservoir currently holding about 0.2 billion gallons and a planned expansion expected to enlarge that storage to roughly 2.2–3.0 billion gallons when completed. Presenters said allocations since 1988 provide no guaranteed access and noted that Cane Creek’s small watershed and long refill times make extended drought the area’s principal risk.
The Water Shortage Response Plan lays out year-round guidance and staged actions. Under Stage 1–3 (and emergency) declarations, permitted outdoor irrigation frequencies are reduced (for example, spray irrigation of turf moves from three times per week under year-round guidance to once per week or prohibited at higher stages) and limitations are tightened for car and surface washing. The plan ties increasing drought surcharges to declared shortage stages: residential block rates escalate by multiplier (Block 3 example: 1.25x in Stage 1, 1.5x in Stage 2, 2x in Stage 3) with separate multipliers for multi-family, master-metered and nonresidential accounts.
OWASA staff emphasized that while the community’s current water-supply risk is low, it is not zero, and that long refill times after drought events are a continuing vulnerability. Staff asked local partners to share public-facing messages and directed residents to OWASA’s website and contact information for further questions.
No formal vote or action was recorded at the meeting; materials were provided as part of the council packet and attendees were asked to share outreach materials in their jurisdictions.
