Orange County Voter Perceptions: Water and

DesalinationSurvey Analysis

October 14, 2008

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

Right Track/Wrong DirectionGenerally speaking, would you say things in Orange County are on the right track, or gone off in the wrong direction?

48.8% 38.8%*Right Track Wrong Direction

18.4% 70.8%**Right Track Wrong Direction

* 12.4% undecided **10.9% undecided

Comparison: CA voters on the country

Orange County Taxpayers AssociationFav/Unfav

7.2 4.4

16.2

4.6

41.4

24.6

05

1015202530354045

Not Heard Favorable Unfavorable Heard/NoOpinion

Very Somewhat Not heard/no opinion

Orange County Business CouncilFav/Unfav

5.6 4

10.25.6

51.6

21.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Not Heard Favorable Unfavorable Heard/NoOpinion

Very Somewhat not heard/ no opinion

Water Supply Awareness

80.4% 19.0%*

In the past 6 to 8 months, have you read or heard anything about California’s water supply?

Yes No

* 0.6% don’t know/refused

0102030405060708090

100

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

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

Water Supply PerceptionsHow would you best characterize Orange County’s water supply?

We have plenty of water for all of Orange County

6.8%

We have enough water, but will need to find new sources for the future

46.0%

Orange County is facing a water shortage and we need to find new sources as soon as possible

41.2%

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.”

Water Supply PerceptionsHow would you best characterize Orange County’s water supply?

We have plenty of water for all of Orange County

6.1% 8.2% 6.0%

We have enough water, but will need to find new sources for the future

50.9% 43.4% 38.0%

Orange County is facing a water shortage and we need to find new sources as soon as possible

36.2% 43.8% 47.0%

DEM REP DTS

Decline to States (DTS/independents) and Republicans are much more likely to characterize the situation as a “water shortage.”

Ensuring Adequate Water Supplies

90.2

6.8 1.2 1010

2030

4050

6070

8090

100

Very Important SomewhatImportant

Not tooimportant

Not importantat all

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

Ensuring Adequate Water Supplies

63.4

20.8

3.8 2.20

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Much morelikley

Somewhat morelikely

Somewhat lesslikely

Much less likely

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

Seawater Desalination: Good or Bad Idea?

50.4

22

9.8 5.812

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Very goodidea

Somewhatgood idea

Somewhatbad idea

Very Badidea

Don't Know/Refused

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?

Seawater Desalination: Good or Bad idea

01020304050607080

Very Good Idea SomewhatGood Idea

Somewhat BadIdea

Very Bad Idea

Total OC Register LA Times Cmty Paper

Local TV news Local Radio Internet Blogs

Ensuring Adequate Water SuppliesPublic 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?

31

12

33.2

19.8

2

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Conservation

Recycled or treated"waste water"

Seawater Desalination

All of the Above

None of the Above

HB Desal Plant Opinions

48.6

27.8

6.8 5.611.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

StronglySupport

SomewhatSupport

SomewhatOppose

StronglyOppose

Don't Know

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

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.

1. 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.

2. Opponents of the Huntington Beach desalination facility argue the facility will require a large amount of energy to operate

3. Surfrider Foundation opposes the Huntington Beach desalination facility.

4. The Sierra Club opposes the Huntington Beach desalination facility.

HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements

4044

3941.643.2

37.8

2932.6

16.6 18.2

32

25.8

05

101520253035404550

Sea life impact EnergyConsumption

Surfride oppose Sierra Cluboppose

More Likely Less Likely Does not matter/Don't know

HB Facility Support/Oppose StatementsNow 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.

1. 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.

2. Seawater desalination technology is not new. In fact, the drinking water for many dry-climate countries is almost entirely supplied by seawater desalination.

3. 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.

4. 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

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.

5. 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.

6. The Huntington Beach desalination facility is supported by more than 25 elected Orange County state and federal representatives, including Democrats and Republicans.

7. 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.

HB Facility Support/Oppose Statements

0

1020

3040

5060

7080

90

Dependablewater source

Desal not new HB Councilapproved

CCCapproved

similar plant

GreenConstruction

25 officialsendorsed

Broad basedsupport

More likely Less likely Does not matter/Don't know

HB Desal Plant Support/Oppose

48.8

23.411.8 8.4 7.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Much morelikely

Somewhatmore likely

Somewhatless likely

Much lesslikely

Don't Know

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

Paying for Desal WaterSeawater 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:

I would pay a few dollars more on my monthly water bill for high quality water that is drought-proof and reliable.

61.4%

We cannot afford higher water bills

20.4%

Neither 7.2%

Don’t know 11.0%

Diversifying Water Supplies

42.6

28.8

7.6 10.6 10.4

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Very goodidea

Somewhatgood idea

Somewhatbad idea

Very badidea

Don't Know

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?

Impacting Costa Mesa

45.6

24.2

7.8 9.4 13

05

1015

2025

3035

4045

50

StronglySupport

SomewhatSupport

SomewhatOppose

StronglyOppose

Don't Know

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?

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)