EVMWD concludes drawing from reservoir

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District’s (EVMWD) Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant completed drawing drinking water from the Canyon Lake reservoir for the season last week. Canyon Lake water draw will resume in the spring after rains replenish the lake.

The reservoir is a critical part of EVMWD’s water supply system, providing a low cost and reliable local alternative to expensive imported water. The reservoir, which can hold as much as 12,000 acre-feet or 3.9 billion gallons of water, plays a key role in meeting regional drinking water needs providing about 10 percent of the local water produced for the community.

After eight months without substantial rainfall, the lake levels have waned. “This is a regular occurrence for the lake, but not a serious concern at this time,” said Jase Warner, Director of Operations for the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District. “The winter rains aid in the replenishment of this important water supply source and we will evaluate the lake levels in early 2020.”

EVMWD depends on mother nature to fill Canyon Lake up each year. As the rainy season approaches, the flows from the San Jacinto mountains will begin to run through San Jacinto River and Salt Creek, slowly bringing the current lake levels up. EVMWD’s water treatment plant will remain offline until the spring when levels are expected to rise again.

EVMWD provides service to over 155,000 water and wastewater customers in a 97-square mile service area in Western Riverside County. The District is a sub-agency of the Western Municipal Water District and a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. For more information, visit evmwd.com.