Notice to Business and Residents

Mills water treatment facility to temporarily limit water supply

Consumers encouraged to voluntarily reduce water use

Due to necessary maintenance at the Henry J. Mills Filtration Plant in Riverside, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) customers are encouraged to reduce water use from Sunday, Nov. 18, through Thursday, Dec. 22. Two-day shutdowns will occur at the beginning and end of the time period, with reduced flows between the shutdowns.

The Mills plant is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and serves as a primary source of supplemental, treated drinking water to communities served by EMWD. EMWD relies on MWD water for 75-80 percent of its water supplies. The Mills Plant delivers more than one-half of EMWD’s total water supply.

EMWD will utilize stored and alternate water sources during the maintenance period. Some of these alternatives include a 17 million-gallons-a-day (mgd) microfiltration plant in Perris, and about 12 mgd from conventional wells in Perris and two desalination plants in Sun City. At this time of year, water consumption is about 60-80 percent of capacity. However, customers are strongly encouraged to make every effort to reduce their water use as an additional “cushion” during this time. As a reminder, EMWD has implemented Stage 1 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Customers are asked to reduce water use by 10 percent (or 20 gallons per day, per person), following such practices as listed below:

• Do not hose down driveways or any other hard surfaces except for health or sanitary reasons. Use a broom or blower instead. (Saves 8 – 18 gallons per minute)

• Irrigate lawns and landscape only between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (unless hand watering). Adjust automatic timer clocks accordingly. (Saves 20 – 25 gallons per day)

• Adjust and operate all landscape irrigation systems in a manner that will maximize irrigation efficiency and avoid over watering or watering of hardscape and the resulting runoff. (Saves 15 – 25 gallons per minute; up to 250 gallons per cycle)

• Refrain from using decorative fountains unless they are equipped with a recycling system.

• Where possible, install pool and spa covers to minimize water loss due to evaporation. (Saves 30 gallons per day)

• Do not allow hoses to run while washing vehicles. Use a bucket or a hose with an automatic shutoff valve. (Saves 8 – 18 gallons per minute)

EMWD customers most-impacted will be in the Moreno Valley, Perris, Menifee, Homeland, Romoland, Quail Valley and Sun City areas.

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EMWD is the freshwater, wastewater service and recycled water provider to a 555-square mile area from Moreno Valley southward along the I-215 corridor to Temecula and eastward to Hemet and San Jacinto. Approximately 660,000 people live and work in this area. In addition to its own water customers, EMWD supplements water to eight local water agencies and municipalities that have their own water departments. Nearly 80%t of the freshwater supplied by EMWD comes from imported sources. EMWD operates four water reclamation facilities and treats some 45 million gallons of wastewater daily. More information can be found at EMWD’s web site www.emwd.org.