EVMWD outlines where its users’ water comes from

By Haley Munson
EVMWD Water Efficiency Coordinator

January isn’t here yet, but water professionals are already ringing in the new year. California’s water year began Oct. 1, which marks a restart to measuring the state’s precipitation records (October-September). With the winter months fast approaching, the amount of rain and snow we get now will directly impact the state of our water supply during spring and summer.

As the region’s water demands grow with our population, it’s important to understand how water gets to our homes and businesses.

For Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) customers, about 35 percent of our water supply comes from local groundwater and surface water sources, including numerous wells and the Canyon Lake Reservoir. The remaining 65 percent is imported from Northern California and the Colorado River.

With more than half of drinking water supplies originating from snowpack and rain hundreds of miles away, water is stored in large surface reservoirs or groundwater basins and pumped through many miles of pipeline before reaching our faucets.

We live in an area with steep hillsides and rough terrain, with wide swaths of open land. For this reason, our water must travel long distances, even within our service area, to accommodate all our customers. This is one reason why EVMWD prioritizes continual infrastructure investments to maintain and upgrade this vital system.

In addition to infrastructure, it takes energy and human expertise to make our drinking water’s journey successful. That’s why EVMWD encourages our customers to be as efficient as possible with their personal water use.

From simple steps like swapping out high-water using devices, to updating yards to water-wise landscapes, everyone can be part of the water supply solution. Drought or not, conservation and water efficiency are a California way of life.

Thanks to our customers’ water-saving efforts, we have been able to reduce overall water use compared to 10 years ago. While EVMWD’s water supply is robust, we cannot be certain if we are going into a water year that will be plentiful, or if it will represent the beginning of another long-term drought.

It’s up to each and every customer to stay committed to using water efficiently to ensure that our stored water will last as long as possible and keep our region ahead of the drought curve.

To lead by example, EVMWD continues to take steps to maintain and improve local sustainability and resiliency by collaborating with other agencies to develop regional solutions for water supply issues in Southwest Riverside County. Additionally, we continue to make investments to increase local water supplies by optimizing storage in the Elsinore basin and focusing on future indirect potable reuse options.

We recognize and appreciate our customers’ efforts to use water wisely and hope they will continue well into the future. Being intentional about where and how we use water is key to efficient and effective water service. Learn more about EVMWD and our water-saving efforts at EVMWD.com.