White Papers

white-paper A white paper is a report or guide that usually addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions or communities to take action.

The H2O University section of the GWRS website will inevitably post pertinent white papers from colleagues from around the globe. To ensure other indirect potable reuse projects are supported and take shape in other communities, it is imperative that the water community share information with one another and the public. We hope that the GWRS website will serve as host for educational discussions to thrive. If you or your agency wish to share a white paper with the water community, kindly submit your report for consideration to Rose Wilke at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

GWRS White Paper: Studies Conclude Water Produced by Groundwater Replenishment System Will Be Safe, Improve Basin's Quality (2004)

To underscore its commitment to safety and quality, OCWD commissioned water quality studies on the Groundwater Replenishment System in 2000. The studies were intended to provide additional information on the proposed treatment processes along with information on how the GWRS water would be used to replenish the groundwater basin underlying north and central Orange County.

The water quality study tested the proposed treatment processes on the same source water as that for the full-scale GWRS. Real operating data, not a textbook study, was used as the basis for the water quality evaluation.

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GWRS White Paper: Building on Success of Other Reuse Projects

The GWRS was based on more than 25 years of successful wastewater purification experience at Water Factory 21, where water was produced that met or surpassed the nations' toughest drinking water standards.

Read the report here

GWRS White Paper: Examining the Cost of Building and Operating a Water Purification System to Provide a New Source of Water for an Arid Region

After extensive outside and internal evaluations, OCWD and OCSD concluded that the GWRS was the most cost-effective option to eliminate a need for a new ocean outfall pipe, diversify local water supplies, and, over time, lower the salt content in the groundwater basin.