OCWD outlines $42.6 million infrastructure refurbishment budget led by $8.75 million membrane replacement

OCWD outlines $42.6 million infrastructure refurbishment budget led by $8.75 million membrane replacementThe Orange County Water District is preparing to replace nearly 11,000 ultrafiltration membrane modules at its Groundwater Replenishment System to combat irreversible fouling and maintain its 130 mgd production capacity.

The proposed FY 2026-27 Replacement and Refurbishment (R&R) budget includes 74 projects totaling $42.6 million.

An $8.75 million allocation will fund the replacement of 10,944 ultrafiltration membrane modules in the GWRS facility's Trains E and F.

The district will also invest $3.5 million to refurbish the Santiago Basin floating pump station and $1.5 million to replace reverse osmosis PVC piping with stainless steel.

The committee advanced a $10 million loan agreement for the city of Newport Beach to construct the Bushard Street Water Wells.

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) Administration and Finance Issues Committee reviewed a proposed $42.6 million Replacement and Refurbishment (R&R) budget for fiscal year 2026-27 on March 12, featuring major capital maintenance projects for the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). The district transfers funds annually from its Replenishment Assessment into the R&R fund to avoid rate spikes while maintaining over $1.5 billion in existing assets. For FY 2026-27, OCWD plans to transfer in $30.9 million to support 74 project line items. The largest single expenditure is an $8.75 million replacement of ultrafiltration membranes in the GWRS advanced water purification facility. Staff noted that PVDF material membranes in Trains E and F, installed in 2022 during the facility's final expansion, are experiencing irreversible fouling that has shortened run times between cleanings and increased chemical costs. The district plans to replace 10,944 membrane modules across 16 basins. The modules are manufactured in Australia by Memcor, now part of DuPont Water Solutions. Staff indicated they may seek board approval for the purchase prior to July 1 due to long lead times, allowing manufacturing to begin early for a fall installation. The replacement is required to maintain the plant's 130 million gallon per day (mgd) production capacity. The budget also advances several other major infrastructure upgrades: - Santiago Floating Pump Station: Budgeted at $3.5 million, this project will replace obsolete electronics and failed power cables. Discharge piping will also be modified to create sufficient back-pressure, allowing the pumps to operate when basin water elevations are between 240 and 286 feet mean sea level. - RO CIP Piping: An estimated $1.5 million is allocated to replace large-diameter PVC piping in the reverse osmosis clean-in-place (CIP) system. The original 2008 piping has experienced failures due to chemical exposure and pipe strain, prompting the district to convert key sections to stainless steel. - Bond Basin Slope Repair: A $3.85 million project, funded evenly with the city of Orange, will stabilize a slope and relocate a storm drain. In separate action on the consent calendar, the committee advanced a $10 million loan agreement with the city of Newport Beach for the construction of the Bushard Street Water Wells. The 20-year loan will partially fund a $30 million project to construct one shallow and one deep well. This approval brings the total amount committed under OCWD's Producer Well Construction Loan Program to $32.45 million.