Orange County GWR
Water Project of the Year
What is it?
The Orange County (California, US) Ground Water Replenishment (GWR) project is a 265,000m3/d wastewater reuse scheme. It involves purifying treated wastewater using microfiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide. Half of the treated water goes directly underground to provide a buffer to prevent seawater intrusion. The other half is pumped 13 miles to OCWD's spreading basins in Anaheim, where it augments the groundwater supply.
Who is responsible?
The Orange County Water District is the client. CDM served as design engineer, SPI was membrane technology engineering lead, MWH was the construction manager, Tetra Tech, Brown and Caldwell provided additional engineering services; JF Shea was the general contractor, Membrane Systems Inc. was the RO OEM, Siemens' Memcor group furnished the MF systems, Hydranautics furnished the RO membranes, and Protec supplied the RO pressure vessels.
Why is it shortlisted?
- The GWR is the global reference project for water reuse via groundwater recharge. No other project is as important to the development of indirect portable reuse as a solution to water scarcity.
- OCWD and its contractors have worked to ensure absolute confidence in the reclamation process. Together they have erased all fears associated with indirect potable reuse.
- The project, which meets the needs of 500,000 people in northern and central Orange County, came onstream after five years of drought, and ahead of a significant reduction in the region's supply from the California Water Project and the Colorado River.