📋
Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Score: -3
(6/3/9)
Orange County Grand Jury
• 2011-2012
“Let There Be Light,” Dragging Special districts From the Shadows
Published: May 09, 2011
32 pages
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and recommendations have not been extracted yet.
The full report content may still be accessible via the PDF link above.
Agency Responses 6
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
▶
Emerald Bay Service Dist
July 18, 2012
•
9 pages
View Details ▾
No structured response data extracted yet.
View the PDF for full details.
▶
IRVINE RANCH WATER DISTRICT
July 25, 2012
•
7 pages
View Details ▾
No structured response data extracted yet.
View the PDF for full details.
▶
Moulton Niguel Water
July 24, 2012
•
7 pages
View Details ▾
No structured response data extracted yet.
View the PDF for full details.
▶
SERRANO WATER DISTRICT
August 14, 2012
•
3 pages
• 4 responses
•
Score: +4
(+4, 0, 0)
View Details ▾
4 responses to findings and recommendations
F2
Climatologists predict future extended periods of low moisture with occasional wet years. Response: See response to Finding 1.
Response: Agree
Score: +1
agrees with Finding F2.
F3
Climate change is inevitable and is exacerbated by human behavior. Response: This is a question for climatologists, not water districts. However, to the extent this finding is ultimately confirmed, Serrano Water District is addressing future uncertainty as described in the response to Finding 1.
Response: Agree
Score: +1
agrees with Finding F3.
F4
South Orange County relies primarily on the importation of water. Response: This finding is consistent with Serrano Water District's understanding. However, Serrano Water District understands that South Orange County agencies have a number of promising local water supply projects in development (e.g., Doheny Desalination Project) that may decrease reliability on imported water supplies over the long term.
Response: Agree
Score: +1
agrees with Finding F4.
F5
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. Response: This finding does not appear supported at least as to central and northern Orange County. The amount of local water available from projects such as the final expansion of the OCWD Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) has increased, thereby freeing up additiona...
Response: Agree
Score: +1
agrees with Finding F5.
▶
SERRANO WATER DISTRICT
June 28, 2012
•
7 pages
• 7 responses
•
Score: -2
(+1, 3, -3)
View Details ▾
7 responses to findings and recommendations
F1
Future water supplies are impacted by climate change and current supplies will not meet future demands. Response: Serrano Water District does not have sufficient information to opine upon the accuracy of this finding. Serrano Water District is addressing future uncertainty that may 2629/007480-0001 19598920.3 a08/28/23 Honorable Maria Hernandez Presiding Judge Orange County Grand Jury August 28, 2023 be associated with climate change by improving the reliability and storage of Santiago Reservoir...
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
disagrees with Finding F1.
F2
Climatologists predict future extended periods of low moisture with occasional wet years. Response: See response to Finding 1.
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
disagrees with Finding F2.
F5
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. Response: This finding does not appear supported at least as to central and northern Orange County. The amount of local water available from projects such as the final expansion of the OCWD Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) has increased, thereby freeing up additiona...
Response: Agree
Score: +1
agrees with Grand Jury Finding F5.
F6
There is significant water infrastructure planning, but inadequate implementation. Response: We disagree with this finding at least as to northern and central Orange County. See responses to findings 1, 4, and 5 for examples of good water planning and implementation that increase local water supply reliability. Honorable Maria Hernandez Presiding Judge Orange County Grand Jury August 28, 2023
Response: Disagree Partially
Score: 0
partially agrees with Grand Jury Finding F6.
F7
The review and approval process for major water capital projects is cumbersome and overly restrictive. Response: Serrano Water District generally agrees with this finding.
Response: Disagree Partially
Score: 0
partially agrees with Grand Jury Finding F7.
F8
Failing to find solutions to water shortages will have a significant impact on the Orange County economy. Response: Serrano Water District generally disagrees with this finding, at least as to central and northern Orange County. This is because, as indicated earlier, water treatment, storage and conveyance projects developed and implemented in central and northern OC have resulted in significant water reliability even during dry years.
Response: Disagree Partially
Score: 0
partially agrees with the Grand Jury Finding F8.
F10
Conservation and efficient use of water is essential. Response: Serrano Water District generally agrees with this finding.
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
disagrees with Finding F10.
▶
City of Water District
July 26, 2012
•
8 pages
• 7 responses
•
Score: -5
(+1, 0, -6)
View Details ▾
7 responses to findings and recommendations
F2
CLIMATOLOGISTS PREDICT FUTURE EXTENDED PERIODS OF LOW MOISTURE WITH OCCASIONAL WET YEARS. YLW D Response to F2: Historical records of California show that annual rainfall is highly variable and difficult to predict. For example, the winter of 2022-2023 was predicted to be another dry year and we know what happened. We expect both dry and wet years to continue with accurate predictions being difficult. As demonstrated recently, however, these predictions are often grossly inaccurate. In Californi...
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
. "Special Districts have made very little progress in complying with the recommendations made by various government agencies. To ensure recommendations are followed, more coordination and cooperation is needed from the city and county agencies." Response: Disagrees with Finding To the best of YLWD's knowledge, it has never received recommendations from city or county agencies. In the event that such a recommendation is received, it will be given due consideration. While YLWD supports coordination and cooperation amongst local agencies, it retains its independent jurisdiction and cannot and sh...
R4
ORANGE COUNTY WATER AGENCIES SHOULD UPDATE THEIR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, BY CALENDAR YEAR END 2023, TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF LIFESTYLE CHANGES IF ADDITIONAL WATER SOURCES ARE NOT DEVELOPED. YLWD Response to R4: YLWD's demonstrated practice is continually to update its communications with the public to reflect current trends and issues facing YLWD and its ratepayers. That said, YLWD does not believe in using its communications tools in a coercive or threatening way as this recommendation ...
Response: Will Not Implement
Score: -1
. "Water and sewer districts should be consolidated into no more than six regional districts. Consideration should be given to including the city water agencies in the consolidation. LAFCO should meet with the water and sewer districts before October 31, 2012 to develop plans and schedules for consolidation." Response: The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not reasonable. According to the 2010 census, the population of Orange County is 3,010,232 people. Given the Grand Jury's recommendation that all of the county's water and sewer be provided by six districts, that means tha...
F5
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. YLWD Response to F5: YLWD does not agree with this finding. While stormwater capture and wastewater recycling alone will be insutticient to meet future demands, YLWD asserts that proper investment at the regional, state and federal levels would almost certainly assure a sy...
Response: Agree
Score: +1
. "The sixteen enterprise districts typically started as local agricultural irrigation providers and sanitation providers for local communities. These special districts have transitioned into providers of potable water and sewage disposal for the cities that blossomed around them after 1950. These districts grew until their boundaries met a neighboring special district that was also growing. Some of these local small providers have already been absorbed by the larger districts under one management." Response: Agrees with Finding
F6. "The sixteen enterprise districts of Orange County founded b...
F6
THERE IS SIGNIFICANT WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, BUT INADEQUATE IMPLEMENTATION. YL WD Response to F6: YL WD agrees in part and disagrees in part with this finding. YLWD agrees that implementation at the state and federal levels falls short. The lingering Sites Reservoir project is a glaring example. At the local level, however, YL WD respectfully asserts that Metropolitan and agencies within the Metropolitan service area (and specifically within Orange County) have excelled in the funding and...
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
above as it applies to this finding as well. F15. "Only one of the special districts, The South Coast Water District, has had recent performance audits. The lack of performance audits for the remaining special districts leaves the potential for inefficiencies, poor practices, outmoded operations, etc. hidden from the governing boards and the communities they serve. The lack of published performance audits has contributed to the public's ignorance of these districts." Response: Disagrees with Finding YLWD participated in an American Water Works Association (AWWA) run, anonymous self-evaluation ...
F7
THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS FOR MAJOR WATER CAPITAL PROJECTS IS CUMBERSOME AND OVERLY RESTRICTIVE. YL WD Response to F7: YL WD agrees with this finding. The proposed desalination in Huntington Beach, which could have provided a significant supply of water, endured two decades of review only to be denied approval on environmental concerns. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is excessively burdensome. The costs associated with CEQA coupled with the bureaucracy and the labyrinth-li...
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
. "The unrestricted reserves of the special districts are available to the governing boards to spend as they please. Local citizens are not openly informed of this wealth when agencies ask for fee increases, special assessments, or bond measures. Most of the special districts do not appear to have specific criteria for amassing these reserves nor do they have published long-range plans for their constructive use." Response: Disagrees with Finding YLWD finds the majority of this finding to be blatantly false. While YLWD does agree that unrestricted reserves are able to be spent at the discretio...
F8
FAILING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO WATER SHORTAGES WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE ORANGE COUNTY ECONOMY. YLWD Response to F8: YLWD disputes that there is a water shortage. As stated herein, YLW D believes there is a shortfall of planning and execution to provide adequate storage and conveyance infrastructure on a state and federal PO Box 309, Yorba Linda, CA 92885 · 714-701-3000 · www.ylwd.com 3 ffl Yorba Linda SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1909 l!n Water District level. This lock of infrastructu...
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
. "The twenty-seven special districts in Orange County have amassed unrestricted reserves of over $866,000,000. That is enough money to fund all of these special districts for more than year without taxes, fees, interest, or other sources of revenue. The boards of directors have the sole discretion to spend these unrestricted reserves." Response: Disagrees with Finding To date, YLWD's reserves have not exceeded the guidelines set forth in the Financial Reserves Policy. The District's current concern is one of being below a prudent reserve level rather than that of amassing excessive unrestrict...
F9
CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT IN ORANGE COUNTY CREATES ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLY NEEDS. YLW O Response to F9: YLW O ogrees with this finding to the extent that such new development is actually "new" and not merely replacement of other development and that such development is not offset by other efficiencies. Moreover, the newer, higher density infill projects create the most demand on local water supplies as many more people ore occupied using water in the areas where infrastructure is designed for fewer ...
Response: Disagree
Score: -1
. "The Orange County Auditor-Controller allocated nearly $35,000,000 to four enterprise special districts (Costa Mesa Sanitary District, South Coast Water District, Trabuco Canyon Water District, and Yorba Linda Water District) that did not show this revenue in their budgets provided to the Grand Jury. What happened to that money is not clearly recorded. Budgeting without the allocated taxes indicates that, along with the three other enterprise special districts that do not rely on tax revenue, these enterprise special districts could function without tax revenues." Response: Disagrees with Fi...
No Responses Found 5
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Orange County
County
Orange County Cemetery District
Special District
Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District
Special District
Placentia Library District
Special District
Rossmoor Community Services District
Special District