(Photo courtesy of Western Municipal Water District)
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District and three neighboring water agencies have entered into a regional agreement that will expand access to long-term water supplies across Riverside County.
The agreement between EVMWD, Western Municipal Water District, the City of Corona and Rancho California Water District allows the agencies to share access to up to 20,000 acre-feet of water annually. The supply comes through a long-term agreement that Western Water entered into earlier this year with the San Diego County Water Authority. According to Western Water, that amount of water is enough to serve about 60,000 Southern California households each year.
Under the agreement, Western Water will receive water from the San Diego County Water Authority and allocate portions of the annual supply to each participating agency using existing regional infrastructure.
EVMWD will receive 1,000 acre-feet of exchange water in 2026, increasing to 5,000 acre-feet annually beginning in 2027, according to EVMWD.
EVMWD said the 21-year agreement provides another reliable water supply option and is part of its long term effort to diversify its water supplies and prepare for future water demand and drought conditions.
“Planning for the future means making smart decisions today,” EVMWD Board President Andy Morris said in a news release. “As our communities continue to grow, it’s our responsibility to continue pursuing reliable water supplies that will support our customers for decades.”
Western Water said the regional agreements are expected to generate nearly $100 million in savings across the participating agencies through 2047 while expanding access to reliable water supplies.
Neighboring water agencies can accomplish more by working together than any one agency could on its own,” Western Water Board President Laura Roughton said in a news release. “By expanding access to another diversified water supply, we’re creating lasting value not just for one agency, but for the communities we collectively serve.”
Western Water said the partnership also creates a regional framework for future water supply opportunities and provides the agencies more flexibility to respond to California’s evolving water landscape.
