OCWD delays funding for Anaheim stormwater diversion project amid subsidy and water quality concerns

OCWD delays funding for Anaheim stormwater diversion project amid subsidy and water quality concernsThe OCWD Water Issues Committee voted to postpone a $600,000 funding request for the Chantilly Storm Drain Diversion project, demanding more clarity on financial partnerships and the environmental impact of routing untreated freeway runoff into groundwater recharge basins.

The City of Anaheim requested $600,000 from OCWD to cover the design phase of a $6.1 million project to divert urban runoff into Burris Basin.

The diversion is estimated to yield approximately 400 acre-feet per year of water for groundwater recharge.

Committee members questioned whether OCWD would be inadvertently subsidizing stormwater compliance for the private OC Vibe development.

The Irvine Ranch Water District raised alarms about the lack of treatment for the runoff, warning of potential salt and hardness impacts on downstream recharge basins.

The committee voted 5-0 to continue the matter for 30 days to gather detailed financial and technical data.

A proposal for the Orange County Water District (OCWD) to co-fund a new stormwater capture project with the City of Anaheim has been put on hold after district board members raised significant financial and environmental concerns. During the April 8, 2026, Water Issues Committee meeting, the City of Anaheim requested $600,000 from OCWD to fund the preliminary and final design of the Chantilly Storm Drain Diversion to Burris Basin Project. The $6.1 million capital project aims to divert surface water flows from the county-owned Chantilly Storm Drain into a new 1,400-foot storm drain outletting into OCWD's Burris Basin. OCWD staff estimated the project could provide an additional 400 acre-feet per year of water for groundwater recharge. At current untreated imported water rates of roughly $1,000 per acre-foot, staff noted the district's investment could be recovered in about 1.5 years. The City of Anaheim, which pledged $100,000 toward the design, plans to seek grant funding from Caltrans and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to cover the construction costs. However, the proposal faced immediate pushback from the committee. A primary point of contention was the project's proximity to the former Ball Road Basin, a property OCWD sold to the developers of the OC Vibe mixed-use project. The Chantilly Storm Drain currently discharges into that basin. Directors questioned whether diverting the flow would relieve the private developer of expensive stormwater management and treatment obligations at the public's expense. "I really have a problem with this huge, huge benefit," said Director Steve Sheldon, who objected to the district subsidizing the diversion without a financial contribution from the property owner. "This is unburdening them with tens of millions of dollars in costs to create this facility." Anaheim Public Works Director Rudy Emami countered that the developer would still be required to build a conveyance system for peak storm flows and treat the water that falls directly on their site. Emami emphasized that the diversion project's goal is to capture low flows before they are lost to the Santa Ana River and the ocean, providing a regional benefit. Water quality also emerged as a critical hurdle. The diverted water consists of urban runoff from the SR-57 freeway. While the project includes a trash screen, it lacks biological treatment. During public comment, the Executive Director of Water Policy at the Irvine Ranch Water District expressed alarm over the plan. He noted that introducing untreated runoff high in salts and hardness into Burris Basin could negatively impact the downstream Santiago recharge basins and ultimately affect local producers' customers. "What we're looking at here is a large stormwater diversion project into the Burris Basin... without any understanding of the water quality once at all," the executive said. "That as a producer, that's alarming." Director Fred Jung cautioned against setting a precedent of OCWD funding municipal stormwater diversion design costs without thorough due diligence. Director Van Tran echoed the need for a clearer breakdown of agency contributions and grant funding before committing district funds. The committee ultimately voted 5-0 to continue the matter for 30 days, directing staff to return with detailed information regarding the financial breakdown, the developer's obligations, and the anticipated water quality impacts. Separately, the committee received an informational presentation on the district's proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP budget totals $99.3 million across 40 projects. The vast majority of the budget—$90.3 million—is dedicated to the ongoing construction and design of PFAS treatment systems for 25 producer wells across Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and other local municipalities.