Perris, CA (October 6, 2022) — This week, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) received an additional $17 million in grant funding from the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) to support its Perris North Groundwater Program (Perris North).

The State Board unanimously approved the funding, which will help EMWD make beneficial use of groundwater supplies in this region and also keep costs low for its customers.

The Perris North program will improve groundwater quality in the North Perris Groundwater Basin, in the Moreno Valley area. In addition to cleaning up and preventing the spread of groundwater contamination, the program will have the benefit of providing safe drinking water for approximately 15,000 households annually.

EMWD was previously awarded $44.9 million to support the program. The new appropriation brings the total to $61.9 million, which is the single-largest grant award in EMWD history.

EMWD is among the most successful agencies in the nation in securing external funding, including from federal, state and local funding agencies. By aggressively pursuing external funding, EMWD helps to keep costs low for customers and also ensures their tax dollars return to the community for construction of beneficial projects.

The Perris North program includes six groundwater production wells, pipelines, a centralized treatment facility, and 16 groundwater monitoring wells.

“The State Board has been an important partner in the success of many of our projects, which are further reducing our reliance on imported water supplies,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “We appreciate their commitment to helping us maximize our local water resources while also reducing the financial burden of infrastructure investments on our ratepayers.”

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Eastern Municipal Water District is the water, wastewater service and recycled water provider to nearly one million people living and working within a 558-square mile service area in western Riverside County. It is California’s sixth-largest retail water agency, and its mission is “To deliver value to our diverse customers and the communities we serve by providing safe, reliable, economical and environmentally sustainable water, wastewater and recycled water services.”
More information can be found at www.emwd.org.