News from EMWD

Colorado River Aqueduct shutdown for scheduled maintenance,
including quagga mussel eradication
Consumers encouraged to voluntarily reduce water use

A shutdown of the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) is scheduled for Monday, March 10, until Saturday, March 22, as part of a regularly scheduled maintenance plan, including the eradication of quagga mussels. Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) customers are encouraged to continue efforts to reduce their water use, though no water service interruptions are expected.

The CRA 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. As a local water provider, EMWD relies on MWD for a majority of its water supply.

During this upcoming maintenance period, EMWD will use stored and alternate water sources. Customers, however, are strongly encouraged to make extra efforts to reduce their water use during this time. As a reminder, EMWD implemented Stage 1 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in October 2007. Customers are asked to reduce water use by 10 percent (or 20 gallons per day per person). Several practices listed below will help customers achieve those results:

• 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)

Introduced to U.S. waterways from Ukraine about two decades ago in the ballast tanks of large container ships, quagga mussels are an invasive species that disrupts and ruins traditional aquatic ecosystems, primarily freshwater lakes. The tiny freshwater bivalve mollusk, along with the earlier introduced zebra mussels, has severely affected water infrastructure in the Great Lakes and has caused billions of dollars of damage by clogging pipes, water pumps and other water systems.

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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 630,000 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. EMWD operates four water reclamation facilities and treats some 40 million gallons of wastewater daily. More information can be found at EMWD’s web site www.emwd.org.