Watero El Topo El Toro Water District*

Future water supplies are impacted by climate change and current supplies will not meet future demands. The District disagrees partially with this Finding. The Finding makes extremely definitive statements about the future that are projections and subject to change. The District has experienced and adapted to several drought cycles over the last several decades. While the District continues to maintain an aggressive water use efficiency program to prepare for the potential of water supply challenges, the definitive statement that current water supplies will not meet future demands is not substantiated. That said, the District agrees that continued preparation for water supply challenges is an integral component of local and regional water supply planning strategies. The District has invested heavily in water supply projects that help meet current and future needs and continues to evaluate potential future projects on both a local and regional level to help ensure water supplies will meet future demands. Investment in additional storage facilities in the northern part of the State as well as improvements to Delta conveyance is critical to managing water supply statewide.

Climatologists predict future extended periods of low moisture with occasional wet years. The District agrees with this Finding. While the prediction of future climate is often a hotly debated issue, the District is aware of the predictions of changing weather patterns resulting in drought conditions with interludes of wet seasons.

Climate change is inevitable and is exacerbated by human behavior. The District disagrees partially with this Finding. The climate on the planet has been changing for millions of years. To that extent the District agrees that climate change is inevitable. The District does not disagree that human behavior may play a role in climate change. The extent to which human behavior impacts climate change is an evolving science.

South Orange County relies primarily on the importation of water. The District disagrees partially with this Finding. The statement would be more correct if it referred to the importation of "potable" water. South Orange County relies primarily on the importation of water for potable uses. It should be noted that El Toro Water District, as well as many other South Orange County water agencies, has developed significant recycled water systems to supply local water for landscape irrigation. These investments have significantly reduced the amount of water imported into South Orange County. Toro Water District E

Local water suppliers recognize that enhanced stormwater capture and storage, wastewater recycling, and infrastructure improvements will not be sufficient to address the long-term forecast of drought and its effects on supply. The District disagrees partially with this Finding. The District continues to evaluate long-term water supply in concert with similar regional evaluations by MWDOC and the Metropolitan Water District. The District is not aware of statements by local water suppliers that are consistent with this Finding. Many local water suppliers are pursuing water supply projects, inclusive of wastewater recycling in the form of direct potable reuse, that will have significant benefits on the sufficiency to address the potential impacts of drought on future supplies.

There is significant water infrastructure planning, but inadequate implementation. The District disagrees partially with this finding. The District would agree that there has been inadequate implementation of water supply and storage projects in the State of California. However, to the extent that the Report and this Finding are focused on Orange County, the District disagrees with this Finding. Orange County water agencies have been and continue to be leaders in the State in the implementation of water infrastructure projects. There are several expansive recycled water systems in South Orange County that have significantly offset the need for imported water. The El Toro Water District has invested over $40 million on a Recycled Water System that provides nearly 20% of the District's total water supply. The Report identifies and acknowledges the Orange County Water District Groundwater Replenishment System that provides 130 million gallons of water each day to replenish the groundwater basin benefitting the water agencies in central and north Orange County. There are numerous clear examples of successful implementation of water infrastructure projects in Orange County. The District would agree that it is important to plan and implement new projects both in the State of California as well as in the County to enhance water supply and ensure adequate supply for current and future residents. There is a significant amount of planning to this effect already occurring by the District as well as other local and regional agencies in the County.

The review and approval process for major water capital projects is cumbersome and overly restrictive. The District agrees with this Finding. The challenges associated with review and approval of major water capital projects is a statewide issue. Too many critical water projects that should have been built decades ago have either been delayed or have failed due to overly restrictive environmental hurdles and a review and approval process that is far too difficult to navigate. Toro Water District E

Failing to find solutions to water shortages will have a significant impact on the Orange County economy. The District agrees with this Finding. The District agrees that water shortages may have an impact on the Orange County economy. It should be noted, however, that the water purveyors in Orange County are currently evaluating potential diversified solutions. The viability of different solutions will necessarily vary from agency to agency based on location, cost and existing water supply opportunities. No single approach can stand alone to address future water supply.

Continued development in Orange County creates additional water supply needs. The District agrees with this Finding. The District agrees that increasing residential and commercial development creates water demand. It should be noted, however, that widespread deployment of water use efficiency practices, devices and appliances have had a significant impact on water demand that has helped to offset the water demand impact of development in Orange County.

Conservation and efficient use of water is essential. The District agrees with this Finding. The El Toro Water District maintains an expansive and extremely effective water use efficiency program. The District has invested significant resources in both staff and financial investment to aggressively promote the efficient use of water in its service area. Water consumption data tracked by the District demonstrates the effectiveness of the program as District customers have reduced water consumption by 25% over the last ten years. However, it is critical to note that conservation and efficient use of water are not the only answers. Statewide projects to improve storage, conveyance and availability of water are essential. Increased outreach and public education are necessary.

The District disagrees partially with this Finding. The El Toro Water District has invested extensively in outreach and public education regarding water use efficiency for decades. This effort includes social media, newsletters, television appearances, the District website and numerous speaking engagements. The District's unwavering focus on this effort continues through wet and dry cycles. The District agrees this effort is necessary and critical. Specific to the El Toro Water District, in light of the detailed focus that currently exists, the District does not agree there is a need to increase the outreach and public education but rather to maintain the existing focus on these efforts. E 1 1 Toro Water District EI Desalination has proven to be technologically and environmentally feasible and is

slowly being embraced as a drought-resistant source of water. The District agrees with this Finding. Desalination technology has been successfully implemented in numerous locations throughout the world. The District agrees that desalination represents a drought-resistant source of water. However, the District is also aware that the environmental community has continued concerns about the impacts of desalination on marine life. The District is further aware that desalination is far more expensive than the current cost of treated surface water which may have the effect of making water significantly more expensive to end users.