EVMWD Receives AA+ and AA Ratings from Investor Services by Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Jun 14, 2021 Member Submitted News LAKE ELSINORE— Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) received high ratings through two major financial investor services for revenue bonds. Fitch Ratings (Fitch) and Standard and Poor (S&P) rated EVMWD’s financial stewardship through a variety of criteria. S&P’s overall rating for EVMWD was an ‘AA+’ and Fitch granted EVMWD an ‘AA’ rating with a positive outlook, improving upon the previous year’s stable outlook. Both ratings reflect EVMWD’s strong capacity to meet its financial commitments and maintain low operating risks. “EVMWD knows that every dollar counts, particularly as our community recovers from the financial impacts of COVID-19,” said Phil Williams, president of EVMWD’s board of directors. “We are committed to the highest standards of financial stewardship so that we can continue providing essential services at an affordable cost.” The strong ratings from Fitch and S&P benefit customers by allowing EVMWD to borrow money at lower interest rates, producing significant cost savings to all rate payers. As a result of consistently high ratings and strong financial management, EVMWD received more than $254 million in grants and low interest loans last year to fund important capital improvement projects. One of these projects was EVMWD’s Regional Water Reclamation Facility upgrade, which will expand recycled water production and protect public health through advanced treatment of wastewater. The upgrade received $4 million in grants and $45 million in low interest loans, reducing long-term financial impacts to ratepayers. High ratings also help EVMWD secure money for planning. This past year, EVMWD received a $1 million Prop 1 Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant from the Department of Water Resources. The grant allows the District to develop a strategic approach to enhancing water supply reliability, managing basin yields, and improving and protecting the quality of the groundwater supply for future use. Through continued fiscal responsibility, the District ensures that all customers have 24/7 access to essential water and wastewater services at an affordable cost. ### EVMWD provides service to over 159,000 water and wastewater customers in a 97-square mile service area in Western Riverside County. The District is a sub-agency of the Western Municipal Water District and a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Visit the District’s Web site at www.evmwd.com for additional information.