Historical Funding Commitment Provides Boost for EMWD’s Groundwater Desalination Program

Perris, CA (January 9, 2025) — Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) this week received the largest federal funding commitment in its history through an additional $50 million authorization in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA). 

The WRDA increases the total authorization for EMWD’s Desalination Program to $100 million. The funding enables the United States Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program (Army Corps), with a cost share from EMWD, to design and construct groundwater wells, pipelines, and treatment facilities. 

“EMWD is incredibly appreciative of the Army Corps, and our federal elected officials, for their continued support of our groundwater desalination program,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “By working together with our federal partners, we have helped return our customers’ tax dollars to their community to create a more sustainable water supply future for our region.”

The additional infrastructure authorized through program funding will increase the capacity of EMWD’s groundwater desalination program by 5.4 million gallons per day, which is enough drinking water for approximately 15,000 households each year.

The groundwater in parts of EMWD’s service area contains high levels of naturally occurring salts. By removing the salts and other constituents through a reverse osmosis treatment process, the salty water becomes a clean and safe local drinking water supply. The salt removed during the desalination process is sent to the Pacific Ocean through a regional brine line.

EMWD has 15 groundwater desalination wells and three treatment facilities, including the Perris II Desalter, which opened in 2022. The authorization will help double the capacity of the Perris II Desalter.

The WRDA received bipartisan support from federal elected officials representing EMWD’s service area, including Reps. Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Mark Takano, and Raul Ruiz; and Sen. Alex Padilla. President Biden signed the WRDA into law on January 4, 2025.

EMWD received its first $25 million WRDA authorization for the South Perris Desalination Program in 2000. That authorization was increased to $50 million in 2020. 

“Since 1992, EMWD has received approximately $800 million in external funding for a variety of capital projects through federal, state, and local partnerships,” Paule said. “This funding directly offsets infrastructure costs for the benefit of current and future EMWD customers.”