Supervisor Bates Visits Proposed South County Reservoir Site 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2007	Contact: Sergio Prince 714-834-3550

Supervisor Bates Visits
Proposed South County Reservoir Site

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates visited the Santa Margarita Water District last week to participate in a briefing on the proposed Upper Chiquita Reservoir Project.  Details of the Santa Margarita Water District reservoir, to be built between Coto de Caza and Rancho Santa Margarita, were presented and Supervisor Bates was informed about the upcoming environmental and public review process involved with the project.

In light of the recent statewide attention to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, from looming reductions of water supplies available to Southern California to the condition of the Delta itself, Supervisor Bates remains focused on South County water issues.  She will also play an integral role in assisting in the County’s review process for the reservoir project.

Supervisor Bates said she is pleased that the Santa Margarita Water District is in the forefront for planning this storage facility, together with the Moulton Niguel Water District and other south Orange County agencies, to benefit south Orange County residents.  Ultimately this facility will be the largest domestic water storage site in south Orange County.

The construction of the Upper Chiquita Reservoir will provide the south Orange County region with substantial new water reserves to meet customer demand during disruptions of water deliveries to the District.  These interruptions can be unanticipated, such as a primary pipeline break, or scheduled, such as the recent shutdown of the Diemer Filtration Plant in Yorba Linda.  The new reservoir, planned as an emergency supply storage facility, would be capable of providing upwards of 168,000 families with approximately 200 gallons of fresh water a day for a week.

The proposed reservoir is to be located on the western slope of Chiquita Canyon, north of Oso Parkway, on approximately 24 acres of land within the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.  The draft environmental impact report will be submitted for public review at a meeting in October and public hearings will be held in January 2008.  Construction is planned for spring 2008 with the anticipated operation of the reservoir sometime in spring 2010.

Charley Wilson, President of the Santa Margarita Water District Board, said he looks forward to collaborating with the County to bring this important and necessary project to fruition.

The Santa Margarita Water District is Orange County’s second-largest water district, serving a customer base of more than 155,000 residents and 2,000 businesses in Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, Las Flores and inland south Orange County including Ladera Ranch and Talega.