TO WESTERN
Transform your turf to a water-wise landscape with style. Visit wmwd.com/LandscapeStyleGuide to find your perfect design.
HOME You might have come from far away or just around the corner, but we know that you’ve recently moved. You have a new home and a new landscape with an unfamiliar irrigation system. Western Municipal Water District is your water provider and we are here to help you understand the programs we provide so you can use water as efficiently as possible in your new home. We want you to feel in control of your water bill. Learn more about the quality of your Western water at wmwd.com/ WaterQuality
Your water provider Western Municipal Water District (Western) is a special district that was formed in 1954. Special districts are formed and governed by local residents to establish or enhance essential services in their communities. Western is here to provide your water and, in some cases, your wastewater (sewer) services. Western serves residents and businesses in western Riverside County, from Corona to Murrieta. Western is governed by a five-member board of elected directors and is supported by a staff of more than 150 highly skilled and trained water service professionals. We are dedicated to delivering water reliably, safely, and efficiently.
Where your water comes from Moving is not always an easy or straightforward task. We can relate because neither is moving water. Since our region does not have many natural sources of water, most of your water has traveled through hundreds of miles of open aqueducts and pipelines from the Sierra Nevada mountain snowpack in northern California to your home. This is a long, energy-intensive and expensive trip. Western continues to make investments in infrastructure and local partnerships to increase local water supplies and decrease our reliance on more costly imported water. We are working every day to make sure you receive the highest quality water.
Western’s promise Providing you with an exceptional customer experience is one of our top priorities, and we do that by pairing the consistent delivery of safe, reliable drinking water with outstanding customer service. Our customers are essential partners in ensuring long-term water security for our region. Through transparency and open governance, we work together on important issues like water use efficiency and increasing local water supplies.
Some of the devices that keep water flowing efficiently to and through your home are maintained by Western and some are maintained by you. Leaks or breaks in your devices could end up costing you a lot of money. Here is a breakdown:
Managed by Western
Managed by you
• All equipment and pipes used to get water to your home • Water pressure within Western’s main delivery pipeline • The pipe from the water main to your water meter • Water meter maintenance and readings
• The pipe from the water meter to your home • Water shut-off valve inside the meter box between the meter and your home • Water pressure regulator • Amount of water used inside and outside your home • Leaks (faucets, sprinklers, toilets, etc.)
Problems with Western equipment? Contact Western’s Customer Service team at 951.571.7104 or email customerservice@wmwd.com.
WHERE CAN I FIND MY... • Water meter: Water meters are usually located on the edge of your property next to the sidewalk or street. It will be in a concrete or plastic box. • Shut-off valves (house and property): The water shut-off valve for your home is usually located on the street-facing side of your home on the ground floor. It will have a knob or lever that you can turn to shut off all water to your home. Sometimes there will be a separate knob or lever to shut off water to your landscaping. The property shut-off valve is inside the meter box. This allows you to turn off all the water to your property. • Water pressure regulator: Your water pressure regulator will be near or at your home’s shut-off valve. Normally set at 65 pounds per square inch, a pressure regulator keeps water pressure consistent at your home. Pressure regulators do wear out, so check yours if you notice changes in water pressure. This will avoid possible damage to your appliances. Maintenance and replacement of the water pressure regulator is the customer’s responsibility.
Smart meters Western is gradually replacing its meters with “smart meters” that will provide customers access to their water usage data via a new online customer portal. This technology will empower customers with tools to monitor water usage, identify leaks, and maximize water use efficiency. Learn more at wmwd.com/MeterReplacement.
WATER DELIVERY
HOW WATER IS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME AND PROPERTY
FROM THE SIERRAS SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS
HOW A SIERRA
GETS TO THE SANTA ANA RIVER
LAKE OROVILLE
500 MILES STATE WATER PROJECT 62% Imported Water*
HENRY J. MILLS WATER TREATMENT PLANT
PUMP STATIONS
VICTORIA RECHARGE BASIN
DESALTERS STERLING PUMP STATION
Groundwater Aquifer Replenishment
MOCKIN PUMP S Interconne Riverside Pu
38% Local Groundwate
PIPELINES MAINTAINED BY WESTERN • 499 MILES of water system pipeline • 149 MILES of wastewater pipeline • 48 MILES of recycled water pipeline
TO YOUR HOME
O UT O
RECYC LED
SEWER COLLECTION AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT
PARKS & MEDIANS
SANTA ANA RIVER
NGBIRD STATION ection with ublic Utilities
er*
E
ER AT
TO THE OCEAN
*Source: Three-year average from 2018-2020
UR HO YO M
W
F
IMPORTED AND LOCAL GROUNDWATER
WATER TANKS
WATER BUDGETS AND TIERED RATES ENCOURAGE WATER USE EFFICIENCY Your total monthly water budget includes your indoor water budget and your outdoor water budget. The number of billing units in your total monthly water budget varies each month depending on days within the billing cycle and local weather information. Therefore, you will receive a higher water budget during longer billing cycles and also in the warmer summer months.
Your indoor water budget The indoor water budget formula uses 55 gallons per person per day, which is based on studies of efficient water use.
INDOOR People per household
55 gallons per person
Number of days in the billing cycle
748
Billing Unit Conversion
Your outdoor water budget Your outdoor water budget is calculated using the following information: • INDOOR Daily weather data close to your home 748 55 gallons Number of days in Billing Unit People per • Irrigated landscape area in square feet per person the billing cycle Conversion household • A landscape factor ForOUTDOOR detailed water budget calculation information, visit wmwd.com/WaterBudget.
OUTDOOR
Irrigated landscape area Irrigated landscape area
Evapotranspiration (weather data)
Evapotranspiration (weather data) Landscape factor
.623 Gallon Conversion
Landscape factor Number of days in the billing cycle
748
.623 Gallon
Billing Unit Conversion
Conversi
YOUR WATER BUDGET
Update your household headcount Based on census data, Western uses a default number of three people per household for single-family homes and two people per household for condominiums and apartments. The number of people regularly living in your home directly impacts your indoor budget. If you need to update the number of people in your home, contact Western’s Customer Service team at 951.571.7104 or submit a Water Budget Adjustment request online at wmwd.com/WaterBudget.
Update your irrigated landscape area Upon move-in, customers are encouraged to verify and confirm with Western their irrigated landscape area. If you are in a newly constructed home, it is possible your irrigated landscape area is set at zero, so you will want to correct that right away. Contact Western’s Customer Service team at 951.571.7104 or submit a Water Budget Adjustment request online at wmwd.com/WaterBudget.
Setting your rates Western is a not-for-profit government agency and we are not able to charge you more than what is necessary to provide service, cover our operating costs, and plan for dependable services in the future. If a rate increase is necessary, we will host public rate meetings. We encourage you to be part of that process. Western’s Cost of Service study can be found on our website at wmwd.com/Rates.
Western offers FREE Landscape Efficiency Surveys to help you reduce your outdoor water use, stay within your water budget, check for irrigation leaks and identify water-efficient plants for your yard. Contact us at 951.571.7104 or savewater@wmwd.com to schedule your survey.
LONG-TERM FORECAST: Drought with a chance of rain Since droughts are a part of life here, Western encourages customers to always use water efficiently. We encourage you to consider what your yard could look like with plants that naturally thrive in our climate. Native and climate-appropriate plants use less water, require less upkeep, and enhance your preferred style of landscaping.
For landscape inspiration and details about how you can enhance your yard with water-efficient plants, visit wmwd.com/LandscapeStyleGuide.
Got rain? Don’t forget to adjust your irrigation After significant rainfall, you can leave your irrigation systems off for up to two weeks, which is a great opportunity to save water for when we need it later.
Check for leaks • Turn on all water fixtures to be sure they are functioning properly. • Turn on irrigation valves and sprinkler heads to check for disconnections or over-spray. • With all water fixtures and irrigation turned off, if the meter is still running you have a leak. Tune-up your irrigation system
No one likes brown lawns or high water bills. Western’s Landscape Style Guide can help you avoid both. We can help you drought-proof your yard and show off your colorful, water-efficient style.
• Fix any blocked, leaning, twisted or broken sprinkler heads. • Fix any broken drip lines or clogged emitters. • Check that sprinklers only spray plants and not walls, fences or sidewalks. • Use “cycle/soak” method to avoid runoff. For example, split a 12-minute run-time into three 4-minute run-times, so water can be absorbed between cycles. • Water three to four days a week in the summer and only one to two days a week in the winter (or maybe turn it off altogether). • Consider a weather-based irrigation controller, high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles and drip irrigation. • Check irrigation timer schedule. • Run irrigation and check for runoff. Upgrade to high-efficiency appliances with our rebates • • • • •
Premium high-efficiency toilets High-efficiency clothes washers Weather-based irrigation controllers High-efficiency sprinkler nozzles Go to wmwd.com/Rebates to apply now!
Get expert advice Schedule a free Landscape Efficiency Survey for: • • • • •
Irrigated area measurement Irrigation system checkup Irrigation scheduling advice Landscape maintenance advice Water-wise plant advice
MANAGING WATER USAGE
Empowering you to take control of your water use
1 2 3 4 5 6
YOUR WATER BILL
REVIEWING YOUR WATER BILL WILL HELP YOU MAKE INFORMED CHOICES ABOUT WATER USE Your bill includes the following monthly charges 1
Total water charge This is the total cost of water used during the billing period. Your meter measures in hundred cubic feet (HCF) which is equal to 748 gallons which is one billing unit (BU). This charge pays for the actual cost to purchase water and/or pump and treat water from local wells. It also recovers a portion of the costs to operate and maintain the entire drinking water system. This charge is divided into four tiers, which impose higher rates as the level of water use becomes more inefficient and exceeds the customer’s water budget.
2
Sewer (wastewater) charge If Western is your sewer (wastewater) service provider, this is the monthly charge for removing and treating wastewater (sewer) from your home. This rate will vary depending on your location within Western’s service area.
3
4
Water reliability charge This charge supports the cost of capital expenditures for infrastructure that enhances local water supply reliability. This charge also supports building projects that lessen our need to import water from Northern California. MWD Readiness-to-Serve charge The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) supplies most of Western’s imported water. This charge supports MWD’s system capital costs for emergency and standby storage facilities, such as Lake Skinner and Diamond Valley Lake, that deliver supplies reliably during droughts, emergencies, major facility outages, hydrologic variability, and variances in local resources. This charge is issued based on the size of the meter on your property. The larger the meter, the higher your cost to access the system.
City of Riverside utility tax The City of Riverside requires Western to assess a 6.5 percent “user’s tax” on charges for metered water and water service charges (per Riverside Municipal Code § 3.14.060). This City tax is applied to water bills of Western customers living within the Riverside city limits. All funds collected from this tax are forwarded to the City of Riverside. The funds are not used in any way by Western.
5
Pumping charge This charge supports the cost of energy needed to move water to the Western storage reservoir that serves your area. Some service areas, or power zones, require more energy than others due to their location and elevation. To find your power zone, visit wmwd.com/ MyPowerZone.
6
System charge This charge recovers a portion of Western’s costs such as system maintenance, repair and replacement, as well as water treatment, water quality testing, environmental compliance, meters, and administrative costs. This charge is issued based on the size of the meter on your property. The larger the meter, the greater the potential capacity demand on the system.
Your board of directors 1
Mike Gardner Division 1
2
Gracie Torres Division2
3
Brenda Dennstedt Division 3
4
Laura Roughton Division 4
5
Fauzia Rizvi Division 5
Western’s service area
Jurupa Valley Eastvale Riverside
4 Norco
1 March A.F.B.
Corona
2 Retail Service Area
5
Lake Elsinore
3 Murrieta
Temecula
McAllister Pump Station (non-potable, irrigation)
WESTERN RECOMMENDS Before your first bill 1. Fix any noticeable leaks. 2. Find your irrigation timer. Make sure it is not watering every day and that it is watering appropriately for each season. Learn more about seasonal watering at wmwd.com/WaterSavings. 3. Confirm that we have the correct information to determine your monthly water budget. a. Do we have the correct number of people residing within your household? b. Do we have correct measurements for your irrigated landscape area? 4. Get to know your new landscape and get assistance measuring your irrigated landscape area by scheduling a free Landscape Efficiency Survey.
After your first bill 1. Make any necessary adjustments to your irrigation system and watering schedule. 2. Check for indoor and outdoor leaks. 3. If you haven’t already, schedule a free Landscape Efficiency Survey. 4. Sign up for eBill and AutoPay to pay your bill online and set up automatic payments.
Schedule a FREE Landscape Efficiency Survey today!
951.571.7104 savewater@wmwd.com
14205 Meridian Parkway Riverside, CA 92518
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU Western’s team is here to help you understand your new water provider and the many services available to help you make your new home as water efficient as possible. wmwd.com/Customers billing@wmwd.com 951.571.7104