Simple ways to save water, and use it wisely

Being efficient and irrigating properly not only helps you save water but it can help save money on your water bill while giving your plants the water they need to thrive. Following these simple WaterWise tips will help you get more from your water. 1) Check your irrigation system frequently and adjust sprinklers for over-spray and runoff. 2) Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year. 3) Direct rain gutter spouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees or collect and use the water for your garden. Find these tips and many more on our website at www.emwd.org/waterwise-tips.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Help Your Home Stay WaterWise

Staying WaterWise doesn’t have to be a big task. EMWD offers a broad range of programs and resources designed to help customers save water and money.

City of Perris Customers Plan to Join EMWD

EMWD has partnered with the City of Perris to bring future high-quality, reliable water and wastewater service to 4,000 customers currently served by the City of Perris.

Ask EMWD: Can I visit EMWD’s Wetlands?

EMWD’s nearly 60-acre wetlands facility offers a lush habitat for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Learn more in this month’s Ask EMWD.

EMWD Wants to Help You Stay WaterWise for Life

EMWD and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California offer a wide variety of rebate programs designed to help you reduce your water use. While California and the western United States will always experience cyclical water supply patterns, EMWD appreciates your partnership in helping to use our state’s water supplies wisely.

Rebate programs are available to help you replace the grass at your home with climate-appropriate landscaping. Upgrade your irrigation controller to one that automatically adjusts based on weather patterns. Improve your irrigation by adding deep watering stakes, drip irrigation, and modern sprinkler nozzles. For more information on rebate programs, please visit www.emwd.org/waterwise-programs-and-rebates.

EMWD’s water use efficiency requirements provide long-term water reliability for customers. While the water cycle has been favorable over the past two winters, it is important that we stay proactive to prepare for future dry conditions with these provisions:

EFFICIENT DESIGN

Only install new landscaping with low-water demand trees and plants.

Adjust sprinkler nozzles to avoid over watering or watering of hardscapes.

Decorative fountains must be equipped with a recirculating system.

EFFICIENT TIMING

Irrigate landscapes only between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. except when:

Manually watering.
Establishing a new landscape.
Temperatures are predicted to fall below freezing.
It’s for short periods of time to adjust or repair an irrigation system.

EFFICIENT IRRIGATION

Unattended irrigation systems using drinking water are limited to no more than fifteen (15) minutes of watering per day, per station. This limitation can be extended for:

Drip systems when no emitter produces more than two (2) gallons of water per hour.
Weather based controllers or stream rotor sprinklers that meet 70% efficiency.

Learn more about EMWD’s policies by visiting www.emwd.org/water-use-efficiency-requirements. Find even more ways to be efficient with your outdoor water usage by visiting our online WaterWise Landscape Toolbox at www.emwd.org/waterwise-landscape-toolbox.

Improve your Water Use Efficiency without Breaking the Bank

Photo of a resident using a broom, instead of a hose, to sweep debris off the driveway.

Water use efficiency starts with our actions, not with our wallets. You don’t need to make major upgrades to your household plumbing or landscaping to realize a significant savings in water usage. Follow these free and low cost steps to get the most out of your water:

Repair leaks within 48 hours of occurrence
Adjust irrigation to eliminate excessive water flow or runoff
Turn off irrigation during rain, or within 48 hours after
measurable rain
Turn off the hose while washing vehicles
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and other hard surfaces, except for sanitary reasons

Turf replacement rebates. Now increased to $4 per square foot. Stay Water Wise. Increased from $3 to $4. Reduce outdoor watering. Transform your home or business. Replace turf with climate appropriate landscaping. Must reserve rebate prior to starting project. Get started at emwd.org/socal-watersmart.

EMWD Partners with the City of Perris to Bring Future Water and Sewer Service

EMWD is excited to announce that it has partnered with the City of Perris to bring future high-quality, reliable water and wastewater service to customers currently served by the City of Perris.

Throughout 2024, EMWD and the City of Perris will be working in partnership as part of a consolidation process, where EMWD will eventually take over services to more than 4,000 customers currently served by the City.

A majority of the City of Perris is already served by EMWD. This change is for those customers who are served by the City of Perris Water & Sewer Division.

EMWD is proud to serve a reliable high-quality and safe water supply to nearly 1 million people living and working in western Riverside and northern San Diego Counties. We will provide that same level of service to our newest customers in Perris, while ensuring there are no financial or service level impacts to our existing customers as part of this consolidation process.

Learn more about consolidation of the City of Perris Water & Sewer Division to EMWD services on our website at www.emwd.org/perris-consolidation.

2023 Year In Review Available Online!

EMWD is proud to release its second annual Year in Review report. The report highlights EMWD’s commitment toward providing industry-leading water, wastewater and recycled water service to our community, while ensuring we are prepared for the future.

Be sure to check out our 2023 Year in Review to learn how EMWD is serving our community today and tomorrow.

The report is available on our website at www.emwd.org/annualreport.

Can I visit the wetlands?

Yes! EMWD hosts FREE monthly birding tours at its San Jacinto Wetlands. The tours align annually with the migratory season that runs October through April.

The free, family-friendly tours take place on the second Saturday of each month.

Guests can often view more than 120 species of birds that call EMWD’s Wetlands facility their permanent or temporary home. Previous tours have spotted bald eagles at the site.

The tours begin at 8 a.m. and last approximately two hours. To reserve your spot at an upcoming tour, visit www.emwd.org/bird-walks.

Bird tour attendees gather an observation deck to view wildlife through binoculars on a sunny day.

2024 Tour Schedule:

- April 13, 2024

- October 12, 2024

- November 9, 2024

- December 14, 2024

Visit the Wetlands Virtually!

Can’t make a tour? See it online with our live webcam. You might see local and visiting birds taking a swim, building a nest, or catching a meal. Check it out livestreamed on our website 24/7 at www.emwd.org/wetlands.

VIEW OUR WEBCAM LIVESTREAMED 24/7 AT EMWD.ORG/WETLANDS