The OH monomer orbital angular momentum is predicted to be partially quenched in the OH-water complex because of the significant splitting of the OH monomer orbital degeneracy into (2)A' and (2)A" electronic states. This orbital angular momentum quenching and the associated decoupling of the electron spin from the a inertial axis are shown to have dramatic effects on the rotational band structure of the microwave and infrared transitions of the OH-water complex. At the ab initio values for the splitting between the (2)A' and (2)A" surfaces, simulated spectra of a- and b-type bands, such as those expected for the OH radical stretch and water asymmetric stretch, are predicted to have a noticeably different appearance than the well-established limiting cases associated with fully quenched or completely unquenched orbital angular momentum. Spectral identification of the OH-water complex in the gas phase will require explicit consideration of this quenching phenomenon.