History

Water Service First

South Coast Water District was formed on July 29, 1932 by the State of California as a County Water District. It provided water service to a mostly unincorporated and relatively undeveloped area along the south Orange County coast that included the communities of Three Arch Bay and Capistrano-by-the-Sea.  The water system consisted primarily of groundwater wells and water mains serving an area of approximately three square miles.  

Since its inception, South Coast Water District has been an independent “special” district.  This is a form of local government that provides “specialized” services, such as water, sewer, parks, schools and libraries.  A local elected Board of Directors provides oversight of the special district on behalf of the public.

Sewer Service Added

In 1976, South Coast Water District and South Laguna Sanitary District consolidated.  They had shared office space and some personnel for nearly 30 years and covered similar service areas.  The South Coast Water District name was retained for the new agency, which now provided both water and sewer services.

Service Area Expanded

In 1999, Dana Point Sanitary District and Capistrano Beach Water District consolidated into South Coast Water District.  At that time:

  • South Coast Water District served a 2.7 square-mile area
  • Dana Point Sanitary District, formed in 1956, served a 2.5 square-mile area
  • Capistrano Beach Water District served a 3.1 square-mile area and formed in 1995 from the consolidation of Capistrano Beach Water District and Capistrano

Beach Sanitary District.

The South Coast Water District name was retained for the new and larger agency that provided water and sewer service to an 8.3 square mile area of south Orange County -- sometimes referred to as the “California Riviera.” 

South Coast Water District now serves 40,000 full-time residents, 1,000 businesses and more than two million visitors a year with potable water, recycled water for irrigation, and sanitary sewer service.  Its service area consists of:

  • Most of the City of Dana Point
  • South Laguna, from Three Arch Bay to Nyes Place
  • Areas of northern San Clemente
  • Areas of northern San Juan Capistrano

Contract Services Provided

Since 1999, South Coast Water District has provided water and sewer services to South Laguna under contract to the City of Laguna Beach. The South Laguna Water/Wastewater Advisory Committee, which meets quarterly, is the liaison between South Coast Water District and the Laguna Beach City Council.

Since 2000, South Coast Water District has operated, maintained and administered the Joint Regional Water Supply System under contract to six member agencies:

  • City of San Clemente
  • City of San Juan Capistrano
  • Irvine Ranch Water District
  • Moulton Niguel Water District
  • Three San Diego County Water Authority agencies: Camp Pendleton, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and San Onofre State Park.
  • South Coast Water District

The jointly owned system brings imported water into south Orange County from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Diemer Filtration Plant in Yorba Linda.  The water travels through 30 miles of transmission mains, is distributed to more than 200,000 residents through its member agencies, and has 60 million gallons of storage capacity in two reservoirs in San Clemente.