How the GWRS Overcame the “Yuck” Factor Diane Pinnick Senior Communications Specialist Orange County Water District September 18, 2018

ORANGE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT (OCWD) Formed in 1933 by California Legislature Manage the OC Groundwater Basin Protect rights to Santa Ana River water Provide groundwater 19 municipal and special water districts 2.5 million customers in north & central OC Basin supplies 75% of the water supply for north & central OC

SOURCES OF GROUNDWATER RECHARGE current average Total 352,000 Acre-feet/Year

HISTORY OF REUSE AT OCWD Water Factory 21 – 1976 Provided 15 MGD of treated wastewater to blend & inject into a seawater barrier Became world’s largest reverse osmosis plant for water purification 1991 First permit to inject 100% recycled wastewater Need to Expand WF 21 & Build New OCSD Outfall—1990s

GOALS & OBJECTIVES Achieve no organized opposition to the project Secure positive media impressions Be prepared to address significant opposition Educate audiences to overcome the negative “toilet-to-tap” perception of recycling wastewater Start the outreach campaign early (10 years prior) and continue it throughout the project’s life to maintain support for future expansions Create a positive perception of recycling wastewater to increase support of indirect and direct potable reuse

“Toilet to tap" & “yuck” factor

It tastes like water, because it is water

GAINING PUBLIC SUPPORT People must trust the agency proposing the project There has to be a real need and benefits for building The technology needs to be explained Have safeguards in place to ensure water quality Medical professionals, public health regulators, legislators, & environmentalists must understand and support your project Agencies have to be transparent about the source water Seeing (and tasting) is believing

PUBLIC OUTREACH Internal audit—are you living up to public’s expectations? Research public concerns Begin outreach early and keep up robust momentum Face to face presentations: Community leaders, community, media influencers, legislators, health professionals, environmentalists. Utilize supporters to reach their audiences and quote them to gain project validity Tours/samples Provide written information in simple layman terms/use tested words (ex. purification vs. treatment, drinkable vs. potable Measure effects of outreach

THE GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM Takes tertiary-treated wastewater that otherwise would be discharged to the ocean, purifies it to near distilled quality and then recharges it into the groundwater basin Operational since January 2008 (70 MGD) Expanded May 2015 (30 MGD) 100 MGD Final expansion 2023 (30 MGD) 130 MGD—enough for 1 million Set the Guinness World Records™ title for the most wastewater recycled to drinking water in 24 hours (2018) Largest advanced water purification project for potable reuse in the world

INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL Appointed by National Water Research Institute Leading experts in hydrogeology, chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, engineering, public health, public communications ,and environmental protection Review operations, monitoring, and water quality Panel makes recommendations to OCWD and regulatory agencies to assure quality and reliability

EXCEPTIONAL WATER QUALITY California Department of Public Health developed permit requirements Test for over 400 compounds with all results well below permit levels or at non-detection (ND) levels 28 Volatile Organic Compounds – All ND 39 Non-Volatile Synthetic Organic Compounds – All ND 8 Disinfection By-Products – All ND 10 Unregulated Chemicals – All but one ND, all below permit levels 51 Priority Pollutants – All ND 16 Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals – All ND

BENEFITS OF GWRS Creates a new local water supply Reuses a wasted resource Increases water supply reliability Costs less than desalinated water & imported water from the Colorado River & the State Water Project Uses one-half the energy it takes to import water & one-third the energy to desalinate seawater Improves quality of water in the basin

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THE GWRS? Public can accept potable reuse projects if: Need is clear Outreach is effective and ongoing Elected officials and community leaders make commitment Quality is higher than alternatives Regulators have ongoing oversight The more people know about the GWRS the more they accept it

GWRS SUCCESS 50+ awards National & international media attention 35,000+ visitors Guinness World Record

#GetOverIt!

Senior Communications Specialist THANK YOU Diane Pinnick Senior Communications Specialist dpinnick@ocwd.com 18700 Ward Street Fountain Valley, CA 92708 www.ocwd.com · @OCWDWaterNews

PROJECT FUNDING Original Project Cost: $481 million Split equally between OCWD and OCSD Received $92 million in state and federal grants, and $4 million per year (21 year) operation and maintenance subsidy from Metropolitan Water District Expansion Project Cost: $142 million Received $1 million in state grants Costs comparable to imported water Both projects used State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans Costs $525 per acre-ft ($850 per acre-ft without subsidies) Final Expansion Cost: $282 million