Your drinking water flows through thousands of miles of mountains and land before reaching your faucet. Southern California drinking water comes from several water sources, and the Santa Ana River Watershed is a key player in delivering water to these sources.
Watersheds are fundamental to several water systems. It’s an area of land that captures, stores and drains water to local lakes, rivers and streams. Imagine a bowl filled with water. The water will move to the lowest point of the bowl, no matter the size of the bowl. That’s how a watershed works.
Stretching 2,650 square miles across San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange Counties and a small areas of Los Angeles County is Southern California’s largest watershed – the Santa Ana River Watershed. Let’s dive into a little more about the watershed’s function and journey.
The Journey of the Santa Ana River Watershed
Each drop of water starts in a simple form, rain or snowmelt. The Santa Ana River Watershed catches that water as it glides through the San Bernadino Mountains. It then passes through several lakes, woodlands, water basins and more. The Santa Ana River Watershed even makes its way under the Interstate 5 before reaching its final destination – the Pacific Ocean near Huntington Beach, and then the cycle restarts.
As the Santa Ana River Watershed moves through several areas, it dispenses water to local basins, groundwater areas and more, before it travels through pipes and faucets for you to easily access drinking water.
Healthy watersheds and water quality
Watersheds are the first step in determining water quality. A healthy watershed is similar to a wetland because it acts as a natural cleaning system for water.
The Santa Ana River Watershed is almost like a water delivery system for local water agencies. Once the watershed provides water to local streams, rivers and groundwater, it’s time for Your SoCal Tap Water member agencies to take over. Our member agencies work around the clock to perform extensive testing and treatment to ensure every sip of tap water is clean and of high quality.
The Santa Ana River Watershed is a shared water source that plays a key role in our water system. Its journey may be long, but it’s important when it comes to your tap water.
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