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Ensuring Water Safety in the Inland Empire By Roxanne Rountree and Kevin Pearson
This billboard forms part of the partner agencies’ messaging campaign.
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12 | MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER | JUNE 2020 COVID-19 SPECIAL ISSUE
a strong social media push using the handle hashtag #KeepItFlowingIE, with IE being a reference to the Inland Empire moniker for the region in which the six agencies lie. Many of the partnering agencies have teamed up on previous campaigns, including ones relating to water quality, the value of tap water, and promoting healthy sewers, or on outreach efforts related to critical legislative or infrastructure efforts. “Our agencies have worked and will continue to work closely together to educate our customers,” said WMWD General Manager Craig Miller. “Our voice becomes stronger when we work collectively to educate all who live and work within our communities.” When fears relating to COVID‑19 first spread among the public in early March, stores quickly sold out of bottled water and toilet paper. News accounts showed long lines for those items, empty shelves, and limits on how many units of each could be purchased. In fact, there was no need to stock up on bottled water. “Our water supplies are plentiful, reliable, and safe and do not require standing in line at big box stores,” said RCWD General Manager Jeff Armstrong. “We are here and available day and night for a fraction of the cost of bottled water.” The World Health Organization has found no link between COVID‑19 and water supplies. All public water agencies in the United States are required to use treatment processes that remove viruses municipalwaterleader.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WESTERN RIVERSIDE FAMILY OF WATER AGENCIES.
coalition of six Riverside County, California, water agencies have come together to promote their role as essential service providers during the ongoing public health crisis caused by COVID‑19. Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD), Jurupa Community Services District ( JCSD), Rancho California Water District (RCWD), Riverside Public Utilities (RPU), and Western Municipal Water District (WMWD) have partnered on a campaign to reassure customers that their tap water is both safe and reliable. The campaign was launched in late April amid ongoing state and county restrictions that were put in place to protect public health. This partnered effort—which includes both water and wastewater messaging—is helping to emphasize the safety and reliability of drinking water supplies and point out how customers can play a part in protecting their sewer systems during these unprecedented times. “We want to reassure our customers that protecting public health is at the forefront of our mission every day,” EMWD General Manager Paul Jones said. “We are proud to continue providing the same levels of essential water and wastewater services that our customers have counted on for generations.” The regional campaign will feature 11 billboards placed throughout Riverside County and will also involve
