EMWD fill stations benefit Menifee students, community

Members of the Board of Directors of Eastern Municipal Water District.

Content contributed by Eastern Municipal Water District

With students back in class after the winter recess, now is a great time to ensure that a reusable water bottle is part of those important school supply items.

Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) has worked with schools in the Menifee area to install water bottle fill stations in schools within EMWD’s service area. Menifee Union School District has 13 sites with fill stations and the Romoland School District has four.

Both Paloma Valley High School and Heritage High School in the Perris Union High School District have fill stations.

The water bottle fill stations are similar to drinking fountains but include an overhead filling system to easily fill reusable water bottles. EMWD actively promotes the use of refillable bottles as part of its commitment to conveying both the value of tap water and environmental stewardship.

Each fill station has a display screen that tracks the number of plastic bottles that have been avoided by using the fill station. This results in less plastic in area landfills.

"These fill stations help provide every child access to clean and reliable drinking water throughout the day," EMWD President Ronald Sullivan said. "They allow students to see the benefits that tap water provides and promote a healthy lifestyle, while also reducing our reliance on disposable plastic bottles."

EMWD’s award-winning program also includes fill stations at other community locations in Menifee and surrounding areas, including Mt. San Jacinto College’s Menifee campus, the Marion Ashley Community Center, Wheatfield Park, EL Peterson Park, La Ladera Park, Powerhouse Gym Menifee, and the Sun City Civic Association.

For more information on EMWD’s Water Bottle Fill Station program, including an interactive map of all 113 locations, please visit www.emwd.org/wbfsprogram.

EMWD Board Elects Ronald Sullivan as President

Ronald Sullivan, who represents the Perris and Menifee area, was selected as the new president of Eastern Municipal Water District’s (EMWD) Board of Directors on Jan. 16.

Sullivan has served on EMWD’s Board of Directors since January 2003 and most recently served a two-year term as vice president. David Slawson, who represents the Moreno Valley area, has served as President for the previous two years.

“I am honored that my colleagues on the Board have entrusted me to serve as President,” Sullivan said. “Our Board of Directors remains committed to providing safe and reliable water, wastewater and recycled water service as well as a comprehensive brackish water desalination program at an exceptional value to our customers.”

Sullivan, a Menifee resident, also serves as EMWD’s representative on the Board of the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority and is active with the National Water Resources Association and in federal affairs issues on behalf of EMWD.

Philip Paule was selected as vice president. Paule, a Winchester resident, represents the Winchester, French Valley, Lakeview and Nuevo areas and has served on EMWD’s Board of Directors since 2007.

Eastern Municipal Water District is the water, wastewater service and recycled water provider to approximately 816,000 people living and working within a 555-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 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