Earlier this year, Reps. Ruiz and Takano secured an additional $50 million to be included in this bill – raising the total amount allocated to EMWD’s South Perris Desalination Program to $100 million.

“Expanding access to local water resources is essential for the well-being of the communities I serve,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “This essential funding allocated to Eastern Municipal Water District is a crucial step forward in the continued expansion of more sustainable water supplies that will be both more reliable and accessible for families and individuals in Hemet, San Jacinto, and the surrounding region.”

“Expanding our water infrastructure is important and necessary for the Inland Empire,” said Congressman Mark Takano. “With a growing population and climate change affecting our water supply, Eastern Municipal Water District needs this critical funding. I am proud to deliver these funds to keep Riverside County growing and safe.”

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Current and former customers of Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) may be entitled to unclaimed money. Each year, EMWD posts a list of unclaimed monies, which are typically refunds associated with the closing of water accounts, water efficiency rebates or other fees.

EMWD attempts to locate the current address and contact these customers and developers, but those efforts are sometimes unsuccessful due to the lack of a forwarding address, companies closing, or other reasons. In addition, EMWD performs a search of its customer database to see if the customer has a current active account where the unclaimed money can be applied.

State laws require these unclaimed funds be published in a local newspaper of record. After three years, any remaining unclaimed money may be transferred to EMWD’s general fund. EMWD goes beyond the public notice requirement by posting the complete current listing of unclaimed monies on its website and continuously updates it throughout the year.

EMWD’s Board of Directors is tentatively scheduled to vote on January 18, 2023, to transfer any eligible unclaimed monies to EMWD’s general fund.

To view a listing of unclaimed monies, please log on to www.emwd.org/unclaimed-monies. Customers may complete and submit the form online to file a claim for funds published on EMWD’s website.

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Not a day goes by in Hemet that somebody doesn’t complain about the water. Not enough of it. Tastes funny. Why do they keep raising the price?

You got a complaint – well, here is your chance to get answers from the guys who control the water hereabouts: Eastern Municipal Water District and Lake Hemet Municipal Water District.

There will be two presentations, sponsored by the Hemet Heritage Foundation and Hemet Museum. As the flyer attached to this story indicates:

Part 1:

EMWD will give the first presentation, conducted by Kevin Pearson, Eastern Municipal Water District Public Affairs Office who will discuss the latest on California’s ongoing drought condition. He will also be available to answer your ten thousand questions. Maybe not that many, but you get the idea.

Part 2:

Lake Hemet Municipal Water District General Manager Mike Gow will be on hand to give an update on their recent and upcoming water projects on the eastern end of the Valley. He will also be available to sift through your questions to provide answers you need without any trimmings. Nothing watered down. Just pure liquid facts.

You can credit Kevin Speir, for making this happen. Kevin is the genial man about town who is everybody’s friend and proves it every day through his volunteer activities. Following are the dates and times of these events, which will both be held at the Historic Hemet Theater located at 216 E. Florida Avenue in downtown Hemet.

Eastern Municipal Water District: : Monday, May 9, 2022 at 7 PM

Lake Hemet Municipal Water District: Monday, June 13, 2022 at 7:00 PM

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The Sky Canyon Sewer Project will involve the installation of 6,700 feet of 36-inch sewer line, with the majority of the pipeline alignment on Sky Canyon Drive north of Murrieta Hot Springs Road. The sewer line will connect to existing infrastructure near Hunter Road and Winchester Road.

The new sewer line will accommodate the current and anticipated growth in the French Valley area. A significant portion of the newly constructed line will parallel the existing sewer line along Sky Canyon Drive.

During construction, EMWD asks the community to please be aware of traffic control measures that will be in place to help ensure the safety of motorists and construction crews. One lane of Sky Canyon Drive will be closed during construction, but access to businesses will remain open.

This work is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2022.

“This project will help us reliably meet the wastewater needs of homes and businesses throughout French Valley today and tomorrow,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “EMWD appreciates the community’s patience and adherence to traffic control measures while we work to safely complete this project.”

For more information, please contact EMWD Public Affairs Officer Alma Ramirez at 951-928-3777, ext. 4370, or ramireal@emwd.org.

EMWD.org

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Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) has received a $25 million authorization to support its desalination program through the recently passed Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that was signed into law in late December 2020. The recent WRDA passage increases Federal funding support for EMWD’s South Perris Desalination Program from $25 million to $50 million.

The grant authorization is part of the Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act and the funding will be distributed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to further increase water supply reliability as part of EMWD’s Desalination Program.

The funding will be authorized over several years to fund additional water supply wells, pipelines, and a new brine minimization technology that will increase local water supply availability and further reduce EMWD’s dependence on imported water supplies.

The current desalination process produces 75 gallons of fresh drinking water out of every 100 gallons of salty groundwater. The funding supports new technology that will bring that recovery rate to more than 90 percent.

EMWD received support for the funding authorization from Congressmembers Ken Calvert, Raul Ruiz, and Mark Takano; and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris. Over last two years, EMWD’s Congressional delegation strongly advocated to increase the federal funding level for the EMWD’s desalination program. The specific actions they undertook to advance this provision in the legislative process were instrumental to ensuring its inclusion in the bill.

EMWD is one California’s most successful agencies in securing state and federal funding for projects. In the past decade, EMWD has received more than $500 million in direct project funds, grants or low-interest loans to expand its water, wastewater and recycled water programs. This funding helps keep costs low for EMWD’s customers.

“EMWD is incredibly appreciative of our federal elected officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their partnership and support of our expanding desalination program,” EMWD Board Vice President Phil Paule said. “This funding is another example of EMWD’s continued commitment to work with our federal partners to bring local taxpayer money back into our service area to support projects that benefit our customers and the region.”

EMWD • Contributed

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Western Municipal Water District (Western) and Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) entered into an interagency agreement this month to partner on efforts to enhance water supply reliability for March Air Reserve Base (March ARB). The North Perris Groundwater Basin Program participation agreement between Western and EMWD supports a commitment to remedy and protect groundwater resources, providing a new local water supply for the area.

EMWD’s Perris North Groundwater Program includes multiple projects within EMWD’s service area which will treat segments of the basin to remove and remediate nitrates, perchlorates, volatile organic compounds and total dissolved solids, making a previously unavailable water supply safe for drinking water use. In addition, the program will protect non-contaminated portions of the basin from future threats. Lastly, the program will help address rising groundwater levels in the March ARB area that create infrastructure challenges.

Announcing this historic agreement, Western’s Board President Don Galleano stated, “This partnership will improve water supplies for current and future generations, allowing us to support and serve the March Air Reserve Base community. By working together, we are continuing to improve long-term water reliability in the region while protecting the integrity of the water supply within the basin.” As part of the agreement, Western will have the ability to purchase the necessary water supplies to meet the current and future drinking water needs of the March ARB. Initially drawing 500 acre-feet per year, the agreement will eventually provide up to 1,500 acre-feet per year to accommodate anticipated growth in the area.

EMWD’s Board Vice President Phil Paule stated, “Funding for EMWD’s North Perris Groundwater Program includes the largest grant award in the agency’s history. By securing the grant and constructing the necessary infrastructure, EMWD is able to add a cost-effective local water supply source to both EMWD and Western’s water supply portfolio, ultimately benefiting customers by reducing our reliance on more expensive imported supplies.

EMWD’s Perris North Groundwater Program will include the following facilities in EMWD’s service area: up to nine groundwater production wells, wellhead treatment facilities, blending stations, conveyance pipelines, and up to 20 monitoring wells. The program is expected to produce up to 6,750 acre-feet of water per year to serve 15,000 households at a total cost of $89.9 million. It is partially funded by a $44.9 million grant awarded to EMWD by the California State Water Resources Control Board.

EMWD • Contributed

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EMWD customers can do their part to protect EMWD’s nearly 2,000 miles of sewer system pipelines – and their own drains on their property – by practicing these habits:

• This holiday season, EMWD encourages families to responsibly dispose of fats, oils and grease (FOG) that are the byproduct of fatty holiday meals such as turkey, roast beef, and bacon. When FOG cools, it hardens in drain lines and can cause blockages, which can be costly and lead to sewer spills or line breaks in the street. To properly dispose of FOG, customers should pour it into a coffee can or similar container; or let it cool and wipe the pan with paper towels and dispose of it in a waste bin.

• Customers should avoid flushing unused medications down drains or toilets. When medications enter the wastewater collection system, they can end up in recycled water and ultimately in the local groundwater basins. To dispose of unused medications, return them to a pharmacy drop off center or put them in a bag of kitty litter and into a waste bin, which will deactivate the medications.

• Customers should also avoid placing “Flushable” wipes down the toilet. These wipes do not break down like toilet paper and can remain intact for years while submerged in water, causing blockages in the sewer system or damage equipment at wastewater treatment facilities. Such wipes should be disposed of in a waste bin.

“EMWD is proud to be a leader in responsible wastewater collection and treatment and in doing its part to protect public health,” EMWD Board President Ron Sullivan said. “Our ability to maintain a healthy sewer system is a partnership with our customers, and we appreciate their ongoing commitment to do their part in not placing items down the drain that can cause damage to their systems.

“We thank all of our customers for their efforts to do their part in being Sewer Smart, including the proper disposal of FOG this holiday season.”

EMWD currently treats more than 46 million gallons of wastewater every day, transforming it into a high-quality recycled water supply. EMWD is proud of its Healthy Sewers efforts and asks our customers to join us in being Sewer Smart on World Toilet Day, throughout the upcoming holiday season, and every day throughout the year.

For more information, please visit www.emwd.org/sewersmart.

-EMWD.org

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As EMWD celebrates our 70th anniversary as a water agency this year, we recognize that dependable access to clean, safe water can easily be taken for granted.

From our start in 1950 as a small agency serving a handful of residential, business, and agricultural customers, EMWD has become one of the state’s largest water agencies. Our commitment to customers is underscored by the leadership of our Board and executive managers who prioritize maintaining and expanding a diverse supply of water sources to reliably and cost effectively serve homes, businesses, and agricultural enterprises in Riverside County.

The initiatives underway at EMWD include our Groundwater Reliability Plus program, a series of innovative projects that will improve the quality and quantity of water in our local groundwater basins. This effort is complemented with an award-winning recycled water program, groundwater desalination, water use efficiency initiatives and water banking to provide drought protection. Through this diverse water supply portfolio and our reliable imported water supplies, EMWD is working to ensure that our nearly one million customers have the water they need, when and where they need it.

Our newest Groundwater Reliability Plus program, known as Purified Water Replenishment, will safely supplement our local groundwater supplies by using advanced water purification processes successfully implemented by other forward-thinking water agencies in California to provide a new, reliable supplemental water supply. EMWD’s recycled water will be put through a rigorous multi-stage purification process of microfiltration and reverse osmosis, then combined with other surface water supplies to replenish the groundwater basin safely and effectively. After naturally filtering through the ground and blending with other groundwater sources for at least six months, the water will be pumped from the aquifer and receive final purification before being sent to homes and businesses.

Purified Water Replenishment will help provide a sustainable local water supply for the region, which means EMWD will not need to purchase more imported water to serve our customers during a drought. This program will soon be entering the environmental review process and EMWD is actively seeking grant funding to build the facility and related infrastructure at the lowest possible cost to our customers.

Since our start 70 years ago, EMWD has worked to make sure our customers will only have to imagine a day without water, but never experience one. EMWD continues to invest in environmentally sustainable water resource projects that will benefit our ratepayers and region for the next 70 years and beyond.

We encourage you to learn more about our groundwater sustainability initiatives at www.emwd.org/gwr-plus.

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Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) is pleased to announce that John Adams, who has an extensive history in public sector finance, has been hired as EMWD’s new Chief Financial Officer.

Adams comes to EMWD after previously serving in the same capacity for the State Bar of California, a public protection organization to ensure the legal profession serves the public with the highest possible standards. He has also served as the Finance Director and Treasurer for the City of Thousand Oaks, a full-service city that also operates its own water and wastewater divisions.

“I am pleased to join the staff of EMWD,” Adams said. “EMWD has a longstanding record of industry-leading financial management. I look forward to working with our Board of Directors and staff in continuing to provide our ratepayers with economically sustainable water and wastewater services at an exceptional value.”

EMWD is a AAA-rated organization and has been recognized for demonstrating responsible financial stewardship through reasonable rates for customers, sound planning and investments, safeguarding financial reserves, active debt management, and its ability to plan for short and long-term financial obligations.

EMWD’s fiscal year 2020-21 operating budget is $434 million, of which $110 million is for capital expenditures. Adams will oversee financial planning for capital projects and operating budgets, financial reporting, treasury management and investments, project accounting, payroll processing, and debt financing. He will also work collaboratively with other staff at EMWD to execute strategic objectives outlined by EMWD’s Board of Directors in the triennial Strategic Plan available at www.emwd.org.

“Throughout the recruitment process, John’s background and reputation as a collaborative and results-oriented leader stood out,” EMWD Deputy General Manager Laura Nomura said. “His skill set will further complement and strengthen EMWD’s position as a leader in public sector finance and benefit our ratepayers through continued sound financial management.”

-EMWD

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EMWD is one of 65 water utilities nationwide to be honored with the award, which highlights transformational work in community engagement, watershed stewardship and resource management.

EMWD’s award application highlighted its nationally recognized Recycled Water Accelerated Retrofit Program, which is an innovative approach to promote the expanded use of recycled water for community benefit. EMWD is widely viewed as a national leader in recycled water and uses 100 percent of its recycled water supply for beneficial reuse during normal years.

EMWD’s Accelerated Retrofit Program assists customers – including other public agencies – retrofit potable water landscape areas to recycled water. EMWD takes the lead on the design and permitting, as well as providing a funding mechanism that offers both immediate and long-term cost savings. The program has resulted in enough potable water savings for thousands of residential homes each year.

The Utility of the Future Today program was launched in 2016 by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation, the Water Research Foundation and the WateReuse Association, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“EMWD is grateful to be recognized for the forward-thinking approach we have taken with our recycled water program,” EMWD Board President Ron Sullivan said. “We look forward to continuing to work on behalf of our customers to meet their needs both today and for future generations.”

-EMWD

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