The Value of Water
Water is the foundation of healthy communities – it is essential for feeding and bathing our families, maintaining our homes and operating local businesses. EVMWD’s role as a water provider goes beyond keeping residents hydrated – we understand the value of clean water and are committed to delivering it to our customers’ homes and businesses every day.
Environment
Water is the backbone of healthy ecosystems. It nourishes wildlife, supports biodiversity, provides valuable habitats, protects the natural beauty of our ecosystems, and much more.
Present & Future Generations
People will always need clean water to survive. The drinking water we provide supports our community today while we invest in ensuring a reliable water future for generations to come.
Agriculture & Food Production
A diversified and increasingly localized water supply is the backbone of our agricultural system. It’s what allows us to grow crops, raise livestock and produce the goods we depend on to survive.
Progress
As our community grows, so too will the amount of water needed to support it. Building more homes, establishing more businesses and welcoming more people into our community is dependent on reliable access to clean water.
Where Does Our Water Come From?
Delivering clean water every day for everyone is no small feat. The drinking water that drives our community is part of the complex, statewide journey of California’s water system.
EVMWD’s drinking water supplies are made up of both local sources, which are stored right here in the Elsinore Valley, and imported sources, which travel through hundreds of miles of pipes before reaching us. Both imported and local water supplies are part of a journey that requires energy, billions of dollars of physical infrastructure and extensive human expertise to be successful.
Capable of delivering water to 27 million Californians and three-quarters of a million acres of farmland, the California State Water Project is the largest state-built water and power system in the nation. The project, which spans more than 700 miles down the heart of the state, is operated and maintained by the California Department of Water Resources.
About 35% of our water comes from local sources, such as groundwater or recycled water, that is stored here in EVMWD’s service area.
About 65% of our water is delivered, or imported, to EVMWD’s service area from sources hundreds of miles away. We are making investments to reduce our dependence on imported water.
Surface water refers to any body of water above ground, such as lakes, rivers, snowpacks, streams and reservoirs. EVMWD’s primary source of surface water is the Railroad Canyon Reservoir, also known as Canyon Lake, which collects runoff from the nearby San Jacinto watershed.
Groundwater is water that exists beneath the surface of the Earth. As rainwater soaks through the ground, it is naturally filtered and stored in the cracks and spaces between layers of rock and soil, called groundwater basins. EVMWD relies on local groundwater basins for a significant source of our local drinking water supplies.
Recycled water begins as wastewater from our homes and businesses. It is then cleaned, filtered and disinfected to be used again for outdoor purposes like irrigation. Recycled water is a valuable part of EVMWD’s water supply portfolio because it helps meet our outdoor water needs while conserving precious drinking water resources.
The Colorado River Aqueduct is a 242-mile system comprised of open canals, tunnels and siphons that carry millions of gallons of water per day from the Colorado River across the desert, and to the people of Southern California. The system works by pumping water up to higher elevations at five different points along the aqueduct, and then allowing it to flow downhill by gravity.
Public Health & Safety
Safe, healthy, flourishing communities like ours are not possible without reliable access to clean water. We believe that water agencies are in the business of public health, and we take our role as water managers seriously. EVMWD protects public health and safety by:
Removing contaminants from drinking water supplies
Managing wastewater from homes and businesses
Providing water to help fight fires
Diverting excess water flows to prevent flooding during storms
Upgrading equipment to prevent infrastructure failures
Ensuring 24/7 access to clean water supplies
Investing in Our Water Future
