Fullerton updated its long-term water management strategy through the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), a state-required document outlining projected water demand, supply reliability, and drought preparedness through 2050. The city council received the presentation on May 5.

The plan was developed to comply with the California Urban Water Management Planning Act and state water code requirements. Fullerton completed the update as part of a shared services agreement coordinated by the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), collaborating with 22 other agencies in the region.

City officials reported that the updated UWMP included projections for future water use, conservation targets, supply planning, and long-term reliability assessments under varying climate and drought conditions. It also incorporated the city’s revised 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), which serves as the operational guide during water shortages and emergency supply interruptions.

The Fullerton water system, serving a 22.3-square-mile area, comprised seven active wells, 15 reservoirs with a combined storage capacity of 67.5 million gallons, 12 booster pump stations, and approximately 424 miles of pipeline. Additionally, the city maintained seven connections to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and six emergency interconnections with neighboring agencies.

Officials projected the city’s population would increase from 141,277 residents in 2025 to 158,923 by 2050, alongside additional housing growth, including 3,198 Regional Housing Needs Allocation units by 2029 and around 50 accessory dwelling units. Despite this population growth, water demand was expected to decline slightly. The report estimated annual water demand would decrease from 22,243 acre-feet in 2025 to 21,384 acre-feet by 2050, a reduction of about 3.9%.

City officials attributed this decline largely to conservation efforts and water efficiency programs. Current water usage in Fullerton was estimated at 64% residential, 23% commercial, industrial and institutional, 6% dedicated irrigation and 8% for other uses.

Fullerton reported compliance with California’s 2009 Water Conservation Act (SB X7-7), which mandated a 20% reduction in urban per-capita water use by 2020, achieved through collective efforts with other Orange County retailers via MWDOC’s regional water use efficiency programs.

The city’s current water supply portfolio consisted of approximately 62.8% groundwater and 37.2% imported water. Officials noted that the use of imported water had temporarily increased while several groundwater wells were offline due to the construction of treatment facilities addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.

According to the report, groundwater use was expected to rise to about 85% of the supply portfolio by 2050 as PFAS treatment facilities were completed and wells were restored to service.

The report outlined multiple reliability assessments for normal, dry, and extended drought conditions through 2050, concluding that Fullerton was projected to meet customer water demand during normal years and single dry years, as well as in droughts lasting up to five consecutive years, through local groundwater supplies, imported water reserves, and conservation measures.

The Water Shortage Contingency Plan established six levels of water shortage response actions based on the severity of supply reductions, detailing communication procedures, annual supply assessments, and enforcement measures.

Officials emphasized that the WSCP aimed to prevent major service disruptions through proactive management rather than relying solely on emergency responses.

The report also addressed infrastructure and environmental concerns impacting the city’s water system. Fullerton began constructing additional PFAS treatment plants in partnership with the Orange County Water District and planned to drill a new groundwater well by 2028, expected to produce approximately 3,000 gallons per minute.

The city experienced about 100 water main breaks annually and planned to accelerate pipeline replacement efforts to mitigate future disruptions. Ongoing environmental monitoring took place at the Orange County North Basin Superfund Site, where contamination from industrial solvents and volatile organic compounds, which had lingered since the 1950s and 1970s, continued to be investigated under the oversight of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Officials said the completed 2025 UWMP and Water Shortage Contingency Plan will be submitted to the California Department of Water Resources by July 1, 2026.