Orange County Voter Perceptions: Water and Desalination

1. Orange County Voter Perceptions: Water and Desalination Survey Analysis October 14, 2008

2. Poll Methodology • Conducted September 23-25 • 500 Person sample of registered voters • Orange County residents only • Random Digit Dialing (RDD) from voter rolls – land line and cell phone numbers • Margin of Error is +/- 4.4% at the 95% confidence interval. MOE for cross tabs is higher

3. Right Track/Wrong Direction Generally speaking, would you say things in Orange County are on the right track, or gone off in the wrong direction? Right Track Wrong Direction Comparison: CA voters on the country Right Track Wrong Direction * 12.4% undecided **10.9% undecided

4. Orange County Taxpayers AssociationFav/Unfav

5. Orange County Business CouncilFav/Unfav

6. Water Supply Awareness In the past 6 to 8 months, have you read or heard anything about California’s water supply? Yes No The media is keeping the public aware of the water situation There is clear correlation between age and awareness of California’s water supply * 0.6% don’t know/refused

7. Water Supply Perceptions How would you best characterize Orange County’s water supply? Voters recognize Orange County’s water is in short supply, with slightly more than 40% characterizing the county’s situation as a “water shortage” that needs new sources “as soon as possible.”

8. Water Supply Perceptions How would you best characterize Orange County’s water supply? DEM REP DTS Decline to States (DTS/independents) and Republicans are much more likely to characterize the situation as a “water shortage.”

9. Ensuring Adequate Water Supplies Approximately half of the water used by Orange County residents is imported from the Colorado River. This means the water available to Orange County is impacted by droughts and by competing demands from other water users. Knowing this, how important is it for public officials to ensure Orange County has adequate and affordable supplies of water for the future? Voters expect officials to maintain an adequate water supply

10. Ensuring Adequate Water Supplies Within the past few years, Orange County’s share of water from the Colorado River has been cut by 50 percent, and its share of water from Northern California has been cut by 30 percent. Knowing this, are you more or less likely to support the development of new water sources? Voters also support the development of new water sources

11. Seawater Desalination: Good or Bad Idea? One idea for increasing our water supply is to use seawater desalination – the process of transforming salt water into fresh drinking water. When thinking about increasing California’s water supply, do you think seawater desalination is a good idea or a bad idea?

12. Seawater Desalination: Good or Bad idea

13. Ensuring Adequate Water Supplies Public officials are considering a number of ideas to expand Orange County’s drinking water supply. Which of the following approaches would you most support as a means of ensuring a reliable source of quality drinking water?

14. HB Desal Plant Opinions There is a proposal by a private company to build and operate a seawater desalination facility in Huntington Beach. There would be no financial risk for taxpayers and the produced drinking water would serve Orange County residents. The facility also would take advantage of existing ocean pipeline infrastructure to create quality drinking water. Generally speaking, would you support or oppose this proposal? 76.4% Strongly/Somewhat Support vs. 12.4% Strongly/Somewhat Oppose

15. HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements Oppose Series: I am going to read to you some of the arguments being made by those who are opposed to the construction of a desalination facility in Huntington Beach. After each statement, please tell me if that makes you more or less likely to support the project. • Opponents of the Huntington Beach desalination facility believe the plant’s seawater intake and outtake operation will have a negative impact on local sea life. • Opponents of the Huntington Beach desalination facility argue the facility will require a large amount of energy to operate • Surfrider Foundation opposes the Huntington Beach desalination facility. • The Sierra Club opposes the Huntington Beach desalination facility.

16. HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements

17. HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements Now I am going to read to you some of the arguments being made by those who support the construction of a desalination facility in Huntington Beach. • Supporters of the Huntington Beach desalination facility argue that in addition to providing higher quality drinking water, the facility will also provide a dependable source of water in the event of droughts or major disasters. • Seawater desalination technology is not new. In fact, the drinking water for many dry-climate countries is almost entirely supplied by seawater desalination. • After a careful review of independent reports concerning the environmental and economic impact, the Huntington Beach City Council voted to support the construction of the desalination facility. • After reviewing environmental impact reports, the California Coastal Commission, the organization that oversees California’s coastlines, has already approved the construction of a similar desalination facility in San Diego County

18. HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements Now I am going to read to you some of the arguments being made by those who support the construction of a desalination facility in Huntington Beach. • The builders of the Huntington Beach desalination facility have made an unprecedented commitment to minimize the plant’s energy consumption and to offset the facility’s greenhouse gas emissions. • The Huntington Beach desalination facility is supported by more than 25 elected Orange County state and federal representatives, including Democrats and Republicans. • In addition to elected Democrat and Republican representatives, the Huntington Beach desalination facility is supported by a broad-based coalition that includes The Orange County Business Council, Orange County Taxpayers Association, and the Los Angeles/Orange County Building Trades Council.

19. HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements

20. HB Desal Plant Support/Oppose Based on everything you have heard today, are you more likely to support or oppose the construction of a desalination facility in Huntington Beach? 72.2% More likely to Support vs. 20.2% Less likely to Support

21. Paying for Desal Water Seawater purified by the Huntington Beach desalination facility would initially cost more than other drinking water sources. Listen to both statements and tell me which one you most agree with:

22. Diversifying Water Supplies Do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea for local water agencies to add desalination to their existing water supply sources, such as water from the Colorado River?

23. Impacting Costa Mesa And based on everything you have heard, would you support the construction of a pipeline in the City of Costa Mesa to ensure drinking water from the desalination plant can be delivered throughout the county?

24. Conclusion • 7/10 voters support the project • Facility’s ability to provide drought-proof, quality drinking water strongly appeals to voters • Messages supporting construction of HB desal facility strongly resonate with voters • Voters think it is a good idea for water agencies to a desalination to their existing water supply sources (even at a few dollars more)