Orange County’s ingenuity does not always come with a skyline view. One of its most impressive projects takes highly treated wastewater and gives it a useful second life.
The Groundwater Replenishment System is a partnership between the Orange County Water District and Orange County Sanitation District. Water that would otherwise have gone into the Pacific receives advanced treatment through microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide. It then helps replenish the groundwater basin and protect against seawater intrusion.
Operational since 2008, GWRS can produce up to 130 million gallons of purified water a day. OCWD calls it the world’s largest purification system for indirect potable reuse. That is a remarkable piece of engineering with a practical local purpose: supporting the water supply that communities depend on. The Santa Ana River photo offers a view of our local water landscape. The purification work itself happens out of sight, but its importance reaches well beyond the facility.
