• Water Quality
• Water Supply
• Sewer / Wastewater
• Recycled Water
• Backflow Prevention
• Urban Runoff
• Facilities
• Urban Water Management Plan
• Research Business Plan

Baker Water Treatment Plant

Project Overview

The Baker Water Treatment Plant is a proposed regional project that will be built at the existing Baker Filtration Plant site in the City of Lake Forest. The project is intended to provide increased water supply reliability to south Orange County by increasing local treatment capability for multiple water supply sources, including imported water and local surface water from Irvine Lake. It will also help provide a reliable local potable water supply in the event of emergency conditions or scheduled maintence on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's (MWD) delivery system (Diemer Filtration Plant, Lower Feeder Pipeline or Allen-McColloch Pipeline) and increase operational flexibility by creating reducnancy with the water conveyance system. Project partners include IRWD, El Toro Water District, Mouton Niguel Water District, Santa Margarita Water District and Trabuco Canyon Water District.

Background

In 2001, IRWD completed a consolidation with the former Los Alisos Water District (LAWD) which served portions of the city of Lake Forest. The existing Baker Filtration Plant, located on Wisteria in Lake Forest, was one of the facilities owned and operated by LAWD that is now owned by IRWD. For a number of years, water agencies in south Orange County have investigated alternatives for improving both water supply and water system reliability. South Orange County receives the majority of its potable water from the the Municipal Water District of Orange County via MWD's Diemer Filtration Plant and the Allen-McColloch Pipeline. 

In 2006, the Santiago Aqueduct Commission studied the proposed treatment plant, evaluating all critical issues including source water quality analysis, treatment process selection, treatment facility site selection, and project economics. The study found that the regional water treatment plant was a feasible option. Construction costs are currently estimated at $50 million.

Project Partners

Water produced from the Baker Water Treatment Plant will not only be distributed to IRWD customers, but will also benefit neighboring water agencies and their customers. Our partners include Moulton Niguel Water District, Trabuco Canyon Water District, Municipal Water District of Orange County, El Toro Water District, and Santa Margarita Water District.