Municipal Water District of Orange CountySURVEY OF CUSTOMERS REGARDING KEY WATER ISSUES

Survey of 500 Orange County residents in MWDOC service areaOctober 25-31, 2011+/- 4.38% margin of error with 95% confidence

Presented by:Lewis Consulting Group, LLCJohn Lewis, President1914 W. Orangewood Avenue #201Orange, CA 92868(714) 937-1005

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Introduction• Lewis Consulting Group was contracted by the Municipal

Water District of Orange County to assess public opinion within the MWDOC service area on issues related to water policy, awareness, reliability, values and conservation.

• The survey of 500 registered voters within the MWDOC District was conducted between October 25 and October 31, 2011. The 500 sample yields a margin of error of +/- 4.38% with a 95% confidence level.

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Q1. First, I am going to mention nine utilities that serve the needs of residents and businesses in Orange County. Considering only those utilities that you pay for, which would you say is the BEST VALUE for the amount of money that you pay? Q2. What are your next TWO choices for best value?

3Other/Don't Know

Landline Tel.Cable/Sat. TV

SewerCell Phone

InternetTrash Collection

ElectricWater

Gas

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

11%2%

3%4%

6%7%

8%9%

22%27%

Best Home Utility Value

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Q2. What are your next TWO choices for best value?

Other/Don't KnowCable/Sat. TV

Landline PhoneCell Phone

InternetSewer

Trash CollectionElectric

WaterGas

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

11%

10%

12%15%

17%18%

29%

30%48%

52%

First, Second or Third Choice for Best Utility Value

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Q3. The water you receive in your home comes from several different sources. Please state whether or not you believe Orange County currently gets its water from each of the following sources.

Source of Water For Orange County? YES NO Don’t Know

Reservoir Storage 74% 14% 12%

Colorado River Water 68% 19% 14%

Sierra Nevada Snow Melt 60% 28% 12%

Groundwater 57% 29% 14%

Recycled Water 55% 33% 12%

Rainwater 54% 35% 11%

Rivers, Lakes or Streams 53% 33% 13%

State Water Project 50% 22% 29%

Sacramento Bay Delta 40% 38% 22%

Ocean Desalination 14% 71% 15% 5

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4 Do you believe that your city or local water district does an effective job keeping you informed about your local water issues?

31%

46%

20%

3%

Local Agency effective in water issue information?

Very EffectiveSomewhat EffectiveNot EffectiveNot Sure

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5 Do you receive your water bill IN THE MAIL or VIA EMAIL or is your water bill paid by a third ‑party, like a landlord or HOA?

72%

12%

13%

3%How do you receive your bill?

MailEmailThird PartyDon't Know

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6 If there was important water news to share with you, how would you prefer to receive it? I'm going to read you some choices, please select up to 2 from the following list...

Mail

E-mail

Water B

ill Insert

Local

TV News

Phone Call

Newspap

er

Text Msg

Radio

Socia

l Media

Other/Don't K

now0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50% 46%38% 37%

17% 15%10%

5% 4% 3% 1%

How do you want to receive important water news?

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7 When thinking about Orange County's current water supply, how would you describe our current status?

56%37%

5% 2%

Orange County's current water supply status?

Very reliableSomewhat reliableUnreliableDon't Know

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8 During the past year, would you say your household's water usage has been...10 Do you think that your reduced use of water is permanent or temporary?

Increasi

ng

About the Sa

me

Decreasi

ng

Don't Know

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

16%

63%

20%

2%

Q8. Has your water usage been increasing or decreas-

ing

10

Permanent Temporary0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%86%

14%

Q10. Is water reduction permanent

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9 What was the primary motivation for you to cut back on water usage?

Don't Know

Other

Messaging from Media

Cooler/Wetter Weather

Rising Water Rates

Save Money

Fewer people in house

Water Agency Notice to Conserve

Right Thing to Do

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

3%

7%

2%

4%

6%

11%

14%

20%

33%

Q9. What is Primary motivation fo decrease?

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Due to Southern California's unpredictable climate, there are some years when we have enough rainfall and snowpack to meet our water needs. Sometimes we can have water droughts that last for years.11 During times of water supply shortages, water agencies ask the public to voluntarily increase their conservation and cut back on their water use. What impact do these calls for increased voluntary conservation have on your water use? Using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a "Great Deal of Influence" and 1 being "No Influence at All", how much influence do these calls for conservation by water agencies have on your water use?

No Influence

- 1 2

Some in

fluence -3 4

Great Influence

- 5

Don’t Know

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%

11% 9%

27% 25% 26%

1%

Impact of calls for voluntary conservation?

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12 If sometime in the future we were in a drought and you were told that water rationing could happen in your community within six months, unless residents took immediate action to conserve, would you change your water using habits?

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86%

12% 2%

Change water use habits if water rationing is im-minent?

YesNoDon't Know

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13 What source, or sources, of information would most influence your decision about the need to conserve water? I'm going to read you some choices. Please select up to 3 from this list...

Don't KnowOther

EmployerBillboards

Neighbor/FriendState Gov.

RadioLocal Gov.

NewspaperWater Provider

Direct MailTelevision

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%2%

3%5%

6%14%

16%19%

23%34%

36%37%

43%

Which information source would influence you most about conserving water?

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14 Do you believe the cost of water is...

28%

60%

6%6%

Is the Cost of Water…

ExpensiveReasonableInexpensiveDon't Know

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15 Are you aware of any major issues associated with the Sacramento Bay Delta?

16

39%

61%

Aware of Delta issues

YesNo

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16 How important do you think the Sacramento Bay Delta is to Orange County's water supply?

17Very Important Somewhat Important

Not Important Don't Know0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%34%

28%

11%

27%

Importance of Sacramento Bay Delta to OC?

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17a On a 5 point scale with 1 being "Not Important at All" and 5 being "Very Important", where would you rate the importance of Water Conservation in Orange County? (RANDOM SPLIT B)17b On a 5 point scale with 1 being "Not Important at All" and 5 being "Very Important", where would you rate the importance of Water Use Efficiency in Orange County?

Not Importa

nt - 1 2

Somewhat Im

portant -

3 4

Very im

portant -

5

Unsure0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2 3

19

30

44

10 2

17

24

56

2

17A - Water Conser-vation17B - Water use ef -ficiency

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18 Are you aware of rebates on water saving devices?19 Have you ever taken advantage of any of the rebates?

56%

44%

18. Aware of rebates for water saving de-

vices?

YesNo

19

47%

50%

3%

19. Taken advantage of rebates?

YesNoDon't Know

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20 Which of the following 7 options do you believe would be MOST effective in solving water shortage? I'll read the choices, please select up to 2 from the list...

Don't Know

Import More Water

Raise Water Rates

Permanent Water Restrictions

Increase Storage

Use Recycled Water

Ocean Desalination

Be More efficient with Water

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

3%

6%

7%

8%

29%

30%

39%

53%

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21 When thinking about increasing Orange County's water supply, do you think ocean desalination is a good idea or a bad idea?

63%19%

18%

Desalination - Good idea or Bad idea?

Good IdeaBad IdeaUnsure

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Appearing on the November 2012 election ballot will be the "Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2012". The ballot summary says "In order to protect water quality and ensure safe, clean drinking water, meet the water supply needs of California residents, farms, businesses, expand ‑water conservation and recycling, restore fish and wildlife habitat, reduce polluted run off that contaminates rivers, streams, beaches and bays, and protect the safety of water ‑supplies threatened by earthquakes and other natural disasters, the state of California shall issue bonds totaling eleven billion, 100 and 40 million dollars paid from existing state funds subject to independent, annual audits and city oversight." 22 If the election were held today, would you vote YES or NO on this measure?23 Would you consider voting "YES" if the amount of the bond was lower?24 Which level of state bond issuance for this measure would switch your vote to YES?

37%

37%

26%

Water Bond

YesNoUndecided

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23 Would you consider voting "YES" if the amount of the bond was lower?24 Which level of state bond issuance for this measure would switch your vote to YES?

28%

63%

9%

Change vote to Yes if lower amount?

YesNoDon't Know

23$9 Billi

on

$7 Billion

$5 Billion

$3 Billion

Less

than $3 Billi

on

Unsure

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

6%2%

17% 15%

42%

17%

Amount lowered to switch to yes

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25 In your opinion, which of the following are the TWO most significant threats to a long term ‑reliable water supply in Orange County?

Don't KnowOther

Too many peopleGovernment/Politicians

FloodDelta Levee Failures

WildfiresPipe Ruptures

EarthquakesPollutionDrought

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

4%2%2%3%4%

13%13%

15%26%

34%60%

Most significant threat to reliable water supply

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