FOUNTAIN VALLEY
President Clinton recommended $1.5 million for the Orange County Water and Orange County Sanitation districts’ Groundwater Replenishment System in the budget he proposed Feb. 1. The proposed purification system is expected to cost between $350 million and $400 million and be completed by 2020.
Environmental reviews are underway and, if approved, the system could be eligible for certification next month, water district spokesman Ron Wildermuth said. The system takes treated waste water that is normally released into the ocean and purifies it beyond drinking-water standards. The water is then introduced into the county’s underwater basin, reducing the basin’s salt level and improving overall water quality, Wildermuth said. Officials expect the system to bring in enough water to serve 200,000 families for a year.
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