ORANGE

The Orange County Water District announced Monday that a recent study has concluded that Santa Ana River water from Anaheim can be transported through underground pipelines to Santiago Creek in Orange to help replenish the ground-water basin that supplies 75% of the county’s water. Authorities estimate the extra water--which otherwise would have run off into the ocean--will save about $750,000 a year for 15,000 county residents. Additionally, officials said the study indicates the water will lessen dependencies on supplies from Northern California and the Colorado River. An implementation date has not been determined.