MORENO VALLEY (CBSLA) — Several communities in western Riverside County are being asked to stop outdoor watering because a state-operated pipeline is undergoing emergency repairs.
More than 250,000 residents should stop landscape irrigation, car washing and filling pools while a leak is repaired on the Santa Ana Valley pipeline, which delivers Northern California water from the State Water Project to the region. Essential indoor water service for drinking, bathing and washing is not affected.
Customers of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Eastern Municipal Water District and Western Municipal Water District in Moreno Valley, Lake Mathews, Orangecrest, Mission Grove, Woodcrest, March Air Reserve Base, Lake Hills, Air Force Village West and Hillcrest are being asked to stop outdoor water use so the temporarily limited supply in storage will last while the emergency repairs are being conducted.
Water conservation does not apply to bathing, washing and cleaning because they are essential to protect against COVID-19, officials said.
The leak’s cause is under investigation, and the timeline for repairs is not yet available, but county water officials say crews are working around the clock to complete the repair as quickly as possible, while following all COVID-19 health guidelines.
