Water

Over time, EMWD has come to depend on its own wells for between 25 and 30 percent of its supply, with the remainder imported through the Metropolitan Water District from the Colorado River and from northern California.

EMWD retails water to more than 82,000 homes and businesses, including 200 agricultural customers. Agriculture has always been a major industry in Riverside County, with production totaling more than $1 billion annually.

Eight cities or other local water agencies purchase water on a supplemented basis from EMWD. About half of all the water used within its service area originates from EMWD. The rest is produced by individual groundwater pumpers, local water agencies and some municipalities.