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Previous Ask EMWD! Questions and Answers that have been featured in our monthly eConnect.
EMWD works diligently to deliver
safe and reliable drinking water, an effort that begins with
protecting our water supply sources—such as groundwater wells—and
continues through the entire treatment and distribution process
until the water reaches the meter. However, some hazardous
conditions may exist on customer properties, which can risk our
safe drinking water supply.
Water systems are designed to have higher pressure than customers’ property to keep water flowing in the right direction. When there is a drop in water main pressure, a reverse flow—or backflow—can occur. Backflow can happen if there is a water main break or if there is significant changes in water pressure.
While single-family residences are not generally required to have a backflow device, you can help prevent backflow contamination by never leaving a hose submerged in unsafe water such as fertilizer or cleaning solution; making sure irrigation has an anti-siphon valve; and checking hose bibs for a vacuum breaker (most new homes are equipped with anti-siphon faucets). You can learn more about water quality and backflow prevention by visiting our website at emwd.org/backflow.
Paperless billing with eBill is an easy and convenient way to access and store your monthly billing statements. View your bill from any location, any time of day, from your smart phone, tablet, or desktop computer. Follow the simple steps below to activate eBill and start paperless billing:
1. Login at myaccount.emwd.org
2.
Select Profile
3. Navigate to Account
List
4. Check eBill
Opt-in
If you haven’t created a MyAccount login you can activate your service anytime by browsing to myaccount.emwd.org and selecting Register Now.
This is the year to give your landscaping an update to reduce outdoor water use, save money and gain beautiful landscaping!
EMWD’s Landscape for Living program is here to help you get started. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! Hundreds of customers have already received free landscaping evaluation, equipment and installation assistance.
From free weather-based irrigation controllers and high efficiency sprinkler nozzles to landscape evaluations and $3 per square foot turf replacement rebates—we have something for everyone.
All EMWD residential customers with irrigated landscapes—areas in front and backyards currently being watered—are eligible to receive services and rebates though the Landscapes for Living program.
Learn more about Landscapes for Living and get started, visit LandscapesforLiving.emwd.org.
EMWD has nearly 80 storage tanks throughout its service area, but did you know their main role is different than most people expect?
These tanks – which hold millions of gallons of water apiece – are often nestled into hillsides and painted to blend in with their surroundings. They are placed on hills at specifically designed elevations to pressurize our water system, allowing you to receive the right amount of water pressure delivered to your home or business.
This is the same reason why many water tanks in flat areas, such as the Midwest, are built on stilts – so there is enough gravity to create the pressure needed for water delivery and use.
So the next time you pass by a hill and manage to spot one of our tanks high above your community, you can be sure its doing its job by helping to keep our system running as it should.
Submit your question at emwd.org/AskEMWD for a chance to have it featured in a future monthly EMWD newsletter!
During California’s previous drought, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted regulations stating that Homeowners Associations (HOA) could not issue fines during a state or regional drought emergency, and those rules remain in place.
HOA’s are also not able to prohibit you from installing drought tolerant landscaping as a way to save water, and also may not require homeowners to pressure wash their homes or hardscapes during a drought.
HOA’s can issue citations if your landscape is unkept, so while you can let your lawn go brown, it is important to keep the property free of weeds and well maintained.
EMWD is working with HOA’s throughout its service area to ensure they are partners in water use efficiency as we all do our part during this historic drought.
All EMWD residential customers with irrigated landscapes — areas in front and backyards currently being watered — are eligible to receive services and rebates.
EMWD will guide you through the rebate process, install equipment for FREE and help you save money and water!
There are multiple ways to participate, whether it’s a free landscape evaluation service, a free weather-based irrigation controller, or free high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles. You can choose one or all options to design front and backyards perfect for you.
Visit our Landscapes for Living website at landscapesforliving.emwd.org.
Removing turf grass is one of the most water saving adjustments a homeowner can make to reduce their water usage and associated costs.
EMWD customers are eligible for a rebate of $3.00 per square foot up to 5,000 square feet through The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) Turf Replacement program—$2.00 from MWD and an additional $1.00 from EMWD.
The program is a two-part application process. In order to receive a rebate, you must first apply to reserve rebate funds prior to starting your project. After the reservation, you will have 180 days to complete the project and submit your request for a rebate.
Items to have ready before applying: 1) A copy of your recent water bill, 2) At least five color photos of the area where you plan to remove turf, 3) A simple landscape plan that shows the area to be transformed and location of your stormwater retention feature, i.e. rain garden, rain barrel, etc.
Please note, approval of rebate applications are on a first-come, first-serve basis and subject to funding availability. Submitting a reservation request or application does not guarantee approval or payment.
Help offset the costs of removing and replacing your front or backyard lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping by visiting www.emwd.org/socal-watersmart.
EMWD is not a land use agency. Our responsibility is to supply water to developments approved per County and City general plans. In recent years, regulations were expanded to require new construction to have more efficient plumbing and landscaping. EMWD makes sure these standards are met by allocating water budgets that are up to 30 percent lower than older homes and businesses.
New developments also pay a Financial Participation Charge (FPC) to fund development of new water supply sources to meet their own needs. Infrastructure expansion projects such as our new Perris II Desalination complex are funded in-part by FPC’s.
By creating new local water supply sources, new development is not “taking” from existing homes and businesses but helping to expand our local supplies and reduce our reliance on imported water.
Learn more at emwd.org/frequently-asked-questions.
This is a great question, and a great way to save water!
EMWD customers can receive up to $3 per square foot through rebate programs through SoCalWaterSmart.com. Customers should apply for the program before removing their grass.
From there, EMWD’s Landscapes for Living link on www.emwd.org has a variety of tools available to help you create a beautiful, water-saving landscape at your home!
A: Schools and parks across EMWD’s service area are among the most forward-thinking when it comes to being efficient water users.
EMWD has worked with both schools and public parks so that many of those facilities are using recycled water to irrigate their fields. This reduces their demands on our drinking water supplies and also provides significant cost savings for them.
Approximately 35 percent of EMWD’s overall water supply is met through recycled water. EMWD currently has 27 schools and 76 parks in its service area using recycled water. Recycled water is also not subject to the same restrictions during the drought as potable water, so these facilities can remain green so our families have a place to recreate.
A: Savvy the Water Drop doesn’t need to break out her abacus to know that EMWD tap water is a great value for our customers.
Based on Tier 1 pricing, one billing unit — which is 748 gallons — is $1.14 cents in most areas served by EMWD. That means a single gallon comes out to approximately $0.0015, or about six gallons per penny!
EMWD tap water remains an excellent value, especially compared to other things like the cost of gas or even bottled water, which is the item with the highest markup at grocery stores.
So the next time you are looking to save money, be sure to enjoy a glass of safe and reliable tap water from EMWD!
A: Yes, PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkytl Substances) are among the more than 155 contaminants and impurities that EMWD tests for in its water supplies.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are chemicals that are resistant to heat, water and oil and have been used for decades in hundreds of consumer products and industrial applications. As a result, these chemicals are often found in the environment.
Although PFOA and PFOS are no longer manufactured in the United States, many products that contain the chemicals still exist, such as cosmetics, food packaging, clothing and furniture fabrics. In addition, other countries still make products containing these chemicals, which may be imported into the United States.
EMWD’s state-certified labratory conducts more than 45,000 water quality tests each year to ensure that we are delivering a safe drinking water supply to your home and businesses. This includes testing for PFAS.
To learn more about EMWD’s water quality, check out our most recent Consumer Confidence Report here.
A: Avoiding putting fats, oils and grease (FOG) down the drain can make a major difference in helping to protect your sewer system.
When FOG is poured down the drain, it hardens and can block sewer lines on your property or in the main sewer system. This can cause sewer lines to break or cause backups in the sewer system, which can overflow.
EMWD encourages you to safely dispose of FOG to do your part to be Sewer Smart. This can be done by placing it in a jar or piece of tin foil and then throwing it in the trash.
EMWD appreciates your help in keeping your sewer system healthy!
A: Not only is it acceptable, it is encouraged!
Rain barrels are a great way to collect water from your gutters and use it to help water your plants at a later time. In fact, there are rebate programs to help you pay for rain barrels or cisterns.
To learn more about the rebates available for rain barrels, please visit www.socalwatersmart.com. You may also learn about other rebate programs available through EMWD at our Landscapes for Living page.
A: EMWD is aware that for-profit companies are sending solicitations for water line insurance. Often times, these advertisements are designed to look like they came from a water utility. These companies are not affiliated with EMWD in any capacity.
EMWD strongly encourages customers to do their due diligence on these companies. Many times, existing homeowners insurance policies will provide coverage if a water line breaks on the customers’ side of the meter.
At EMWD, our recommendation is for homeowners to do their research on a company’s business practices to determine what they feel is best for them.
A: EMWD has two mascots: Savvy the Water Drop and Patrick the Poo.
The two characters are from EMWD’s award-winning series of classroom education books and Sewer Smart video series, and help both children and adults learn about water, wastewater and recycled water issues.
Patrick the Poo has been featured prominently in a series of videos on EMWD’s social media platforms to help customers learn how they can protect our sewer system by being Sewer Smart. Savvy the Water Drop helps teach about your water supply and how to be efficient.
EMWD is proud of its industry-leading education program and finding new and creative way to engage audiences of all ages, including through the use of Savvy and Patrick!
A: EMWD is a leading advocate for the use of recycled water, and it is exciting that our customers also embrace those community benefits.
Because of state regulations that require annual testing of recycled water systems to ensure public safety, it would be very challenging to have thousands of residential homes requiring those tests every year. Additionally, a secondary distribution system would have to be constructed to deliver recycled water to residential properties.
Because of the cost and permitting challenges associated with this, recycled water is typically used by large landscape customers such as agriculture, schools, parks and other public landscaping. Those customers combine to use 100 percent of EMWD’s available recycled water supply during normal years.
As our service area continues to grow, EMWD will keep looking for ways to use all of its available recycled water supply in the most cost-effective manner while also ensuring it meets the required regulations.
A: Ensuring you have a safe and clean water supply is a top priority at EMWD.
Each year, EMWD conducts more than 45,000 water quality tests, which tests for more than 155 contaminants and impurities. EMWD conducts these tests on a daily basis at its state-certified laboratory.
EMWD also invests in state-of-the-art treatment processes to help clean your drinking water before it enters our distribution system to be delivered to your home or business.
You can learn more about your drinking water quality by viewing our annual Consumer Confidence Report by clicking here.
A: Yes!
EMWD customers are eligible to receive funding to help offset the costs of removing grass from their front or rear lawns and replacing it with drought-tolerant landscaping. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is currently offering $2 per square foot and EMWD customers are eligible for an additional $1 per square foot.
Customers may visit EMWD’s Landscapes for Living to view available rebate programs, sample landscape plans, and find a licensed contractor that has completed a specialized training program through EMWD.
A: EMWD sewer service charges are based on the number of people living in the household to be more representative of the amount of water contributed to the sewer system.
Block sewer rates are designed to be more fair and equitable to customers and are revenue-neutral to EMWD.
Customers in smaller households (1-2 people) pay 60-percent of the standard rate. Households with 3-4 people pay the standard rate; those with 5-6 people pay 125-percent of the standard rate; and households with 7 or more residents pay 170-percent of the standard rate.
Customers may learn more about their wastewater charges by visiting EMWD’s website
A: While EMWD does not currently use recycled water to replenish its local groundwater basins, it is currently designing an advanced water purification facility to be able to implement this technology soon. Purified Water Replenishment would start with recycled water and purify it using a multi-stage process of microfiltration and reverse osmosis.
The purified water could then be blended with additional treated water before being pumped into replenishment basins, where it would go through a natural purification process, which takes at least six months to filter through the ground. The water pumped would then go through one final cleaning step before it would be sent to homes and businesses.
The first phase of this proposed program would provide enough groundwater replenishment to serve up to 10,000 homes annually.
To learn more about EMWD’s proposed program, please visit our Groundwater Reliability Plus page on our website.
