A $6 million grant was awarded to the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District by Western Municipal Water District on April 23 to support the Lee Lake Wells Project in Riverside County.
This project is part of the Santa Ana River Conservation and Conjunctive Use Program, a multiagency effort to improve water reliability in the Santa Ana River watershed by storing water in local groundwater basins during wet years and using it during droughts.
The Lee Lake Wells Project includes building new well facilities, installing well equipment and water treatment systems and connecting them to the Temescal Canyon transmission pipeline. Officials say the upgrades are designed to improve local water infrastructure and make better use of available water supplies.
Through the program, the project will allow up to 4,500 acre feet of water to be stored in the Elsinore basin over three wet years, which are periods of above average rainfall when water supplies are replenished. That amount is enough to meet the annual water needs of thousands of households. During drought conditions, up to 1,500 acre feet of water could be pumped each year.
“Ensuring long-term water supply reliability for our customers is a core responsibility of EVMWD,” said EVMWD General Manager Greg Thomas. “Projects like Lee Lake Wells are critical to that mission.”
The project was originally supported by about $300,000 in grant funding. As additional components, including water treatment systems, were added, the project qualified for more funding over time. That brought the total grant support to more than $6 million.
“This additional funding moves us closer to completion of the Lee Lake Wells Project and advances our shared commitment to long-term water resilience,” said Western Water General Manager Craig Miller.
The project is part of a larger effort to prepare for future water needs as demand and climate conditions continue to change.
“This grant represents what’s possible when agencies come together around a shared vision, working collaboratively to improve reliability, maximize existing resources, and deliver long-term benefits across the Santa Ana River watershed,” said EVMWD Board President Andy Morris.
