Safety Resources & Protocols

Updated Oct. 01, 2024 at 8:30 a.m.

We are pleased to inform you that the Do Not Drink – Do Not Boil notice has been lifted for your area. Following extensive water quality testing and corrective efforts, the State Water Resources Control Board – Department of Drinking Water (DDW) has confirmed that the water supply is now safe for all household use.

Why Has This Advisory Been Lifted?

Our teams have been working diligently to flush the water system and conduct thorough follow-up water quality testing across the El Cariso area. These efforts ensured that contaminants, including benzene, were removed from the system. The final round of testing confirmed that all water quality standards have been met, allowing the Do Not Drink – Do Not Boil notice to be lifted. You may now resume normal use of your tap water for drinking, cooking, brushing your teeth, making ice, and preparing baby formula.

What This Means for You

You may now use your tap water for all regular household purposes, including drinking and cooking. The water is safe, and it is no longer necessary to use bottled water.

Ongoing Work

Please note that while the water is safe for use, our crews will continue to flush and monitor the system for quite awhile to ensure the safety of the water supply. Do not be alarmed if you continue to see EVMWD crews working in your area – this is normal activity.

Latest Information

For more details, please contact our customer service team at 951-674-3146 with any questions or concerns.

Please be sure to read the official letter and mandated notice from the DDW for more detailed information.
Haga clic aquí para leer la carta de notificación al cliente y haga clic aquí para leer el aviso obligatorio de DDW aquí.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we worked to restore safe water service to the El Cariso area due to the Airport wildfire.

The health and safety of our community is EVMWD’s top priority. EVMWD is committed to preventing sewer leaks by implementing stringent maintenance practices and proactive monitoring of the sewer system. To learn more, see the Canyon Lake Spill Fact Sheet. 

The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) has initiated the development of a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). The LHMP will provide a framework for EVMWD to reduce its vulnerability to the impacts of natural and human-induced hazard events such as earthquakes, flooding, and hazardous materials spills. This plan will identify opportunities for EVMWD to implement actions that will allow for its water and wastewater infrastructure to become more resilient to hazards in the future.

What is a Hazard Mitigation Plan? 
A Hazard Mitigation Plan is a framework that guides our communities, including special districts such as water purveyors, in making decisions and developing policies to reduce or eliminate risk to life and property. The plan identifies the types of hazards that threaten our communities, evaluates our vulnerability to those threats, and outlines a strategy to reduce or eliminate the risk posed by future threats. 

Why is the LHMP important? 
The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires state and local governments (including special districts) to have an approved hazard mitigation plan in order to be eligible to apply for and receive FEMA hazard mitigation funds. Receipt of these funds can be critical to implementation of identified hazard mitigation programs that break the cycle of disaster, damage, restoration, and repeated damage. EVMWD is committed to reducing disaster impacts and maintaining eligibility for federal hazard mitigation grant funding through preparation of a LHMP.

How is a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan developed? 
The ultimate goal of a LHMP is to identify and address hazards specific to EVMWD’s service area, identify mitigation actions to reduce the severity and impact of each hazard, and achieve certification by FEMA for hazard mitigation funding. 

The LHMP primarily consists of three components: 
• Hazard Profiles: type, location, extent, previous occurrences, probability of future events
• Vulnerability Assessment: impacts of hazards, vulnerability to each hazard, repetitive loss, potential dollar losses
• Mitigation Strategies: overarching goals, specific actions, and prioritization of those actions to reduce hazard impacts 

The LHMP is developed from a process oriented approach, utilizing the experience from community partners such as customer cities, Riverside County, and neighboring water districts. The community partners provide key stakeholder input on the hazard profiles, vulnerability assessment and mitigation strategies as outlined above. This participation is documented and incorporated into the LHMP. Additionally, the LHMP will identify how the plan will be monitored, evaluated, and updated within a five-year cycle.

Natural disasters can cause significant damage to communities, businesses, public infrastructure, and the environment. The impacts specific to water and wastewater utilities and the individuals they serve can be immense, and infrastructure damages can result in regional, economic, and public health consequences. Water and wastewater utilities are vulnerable to a variety of hazards that can result in damaged equipment, loss of power, disruption to services, contaminated water supply, and revenue losses. By planning for natural and manmade hazards and implementing projects that mitigate risk, water purveyors can reduce costly damage and improve the reliability of service following a disaster incident.

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) strives to improve local reliability and resiliency through capital improvement projects, innovative planning, and emergency management practices. In an effort to formalize existing efforts related to natural hazards and hazard mitigation planning, along with establishing a clear understanding of potential hazards and a coordinated plan to address these risks, EVMWD developed this Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP).

No community can be fully protected against all potential impacts from natural hazards, although communities can reduce potential impacts by taking action to become more resilient. This LHMP is a blueprint for EVMWD to reduce threats posed by natural hazards that may impact infrastructure or operations. Proper planning, prior to a natural or man-made disaster, will allow EVMWD to return to “normal” sooner, with fewer impacts to people, facilities, and infrastructure.

EVMWD LHMP

Contact Us: Comments and questions may be submitted to Lenai Hunter, Regulatory Compliance Specialist, at lhunter@evmwd.net.