News

Your Water Travels a Long Way

MNWD, like most south Orange County water providers, does not have the benefit of access to local supplies of water, so the majority of the District’s water is imported from the Colorado River and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, via the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. This water travels hundreds of miles and is pumped thousands of feet in elevation over the Tehachapi and Eagle mountains before it reaches homes and businesses in South County. In fact, the movement of water from where it falls to where it is needed is one of the largest uses of energy in California, and is a contributor to the high cost difference between imported water and locally produced supplies.

Metropolitan sets the price of imported water, but MNWD is working to reduce our reliance on this source to ensure a reliable and low-cost supply for our customers. The District has expanded our treatment and delivery of recycled water for irrigation purposes, which now meets 25 percent of local demand. MNWD is also working with other South County water providers to explore the potential use of desalinated seawater to meet local needs.

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