Sourced from Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District’s published Septic to Sewer Conversion Project material and Riverside County Department of Environmental Health information — last checked August 2026.
The Deadline First, Because It Is Close
EVMWD’s notice is headed “FINAL CHANCE TO JOIN THE AVENUES SEPTIC TO SEWER PROJECT!” and reads:
If you are in the Avenues and reading this in August 2026, that is days away, not months. The project team is on 951-200-4136 or septicconversion@evmwd.net.
Sedco Hills is on a different clock. That community broke ground in summer 2026 and is anticipated to finish in mid-2028, so it is earlier in its cycle — but the same principle applies and it is worth calling rather than assuming.
What Is Actually Covered
EVMWD secured Clean Water State Revolving Fund money for these two communities. Asked on its own project page what the conversion costs a homeowner, the district answers in one word: “NOTHING!” and adds “THIS COULD SAVE YOU AN ESTIMATED $60,000.”
The district lists what it pays for:
- Sewer connection construction costs and all associated fees
- Abandonment of the septic tank or tanks
- Post-construction restoration of your property
Permitting and EVMWD system charges are inside that. There is also a one-year warranty covering construction-related defects; after the first year the lateral is yours to maintain.
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The Catch Nobody Expects
This is the part that costs people the opportunity, and it is counterintuitive.
The free conversion requires your septic system to be working. If yours has already failed, you are not automatically out — but EVMWD says property owners “are encouraged to make the necessary repairs so the property conversion process can continue,” and that repair is at your own cost.
The same applies to your electrical system if your lot needs a grinder pump. Lots sitting lower than the adjacent road are the ones likely to need one.
So the worst position to be in is a failing system and a looming deadline. If your system is marginal and you are inside the project limits, get it assessed now rather than after it fails.
Grinder Pumps
If your lot is below the road, you may be assigned a grinder pump. Two things follow from that.
Running one adds about $50 a year to your electricity bill, on EVMWD’s own estimate. And after the first-year warranty, the property owner is responsible for the long-term maintenance and replacement of that equipment. It is still a very good deal against $60,000, but it is not quite the same as a plain gravity connection.
What It Costs to Run Afterwards
Once connected, sewer charges join your existing EVMWD water bill. The district uses a fixed rate plus a variable rate based on how many people live in the home.
- Fixed rate $29.80 per month
- Variable rate $11.48 per person per month
EVMWD’s own worked example: a household of four pays 4 × $11.48, or $45.92, plus the $29.80 fixed charge, for a total of $75.72 a month.
Set that against what you were spending on pumping, inspections and eventual replacement, and for most households it is the cheaper of the two arrangements even before the $60,000.
Am I Inside the Project Limits?
EVMWD defines the two eligible areas as:
- Sedco Hills: along Mission Trail Road between Malaga Road, Lemon Street and the I-15 freeway
- Avenues: along E Lakeshore Drive between Country Club Blvd, Avenue 6 and Mill Street
The district publishes maps of both communities and an eligibility checker. If you are near the boundary, call rather than eyeball it — the difference between inside and outside is $60,000.
The Rest of Riverside County
Outside these two project areas, Riverside County is thin.
The county publishes no septic permit fee amounts. Its Department of Environmental Health says only “Contact this Department for fees specific to your project.” We are not going to guess at a number the county itself will not print — call 951-955-8980 or, for the desert region, 760-863-7570.
We found no Riverside County septic repair or replacement assistance program outside the EVMWD conversion. The statewide routes — USDA Section 504 and RCAC — are covered on our California septic assistance page.
EVMWD itself points septic owners to the county’s resource page and notes that while the county does not perform inspections or repairs, it recommends contacting a qualified contractor.
Who to Call
- EVMWD Septic to Sewer project helpline: 951-200-4136
- septicconversion@evmwd.net — the district notes “Se habla Español”
- Riverside County Environmental Health: 951-955-8980, or 760-863-7570 for the desert region
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the EVMWD septic to sewer conversion really free?
Yes, for eligible properties inside the Sedco Hills and Avenues project limits. Asked what it costs the homeowner, EVMWD answers "NOTHING!" and adds "THIS COULD SAVE YOU AN ESTIMATED $60,000." Clean Water State Revolving Fund money covers sewer connection construction costs and all associated fees, abandonment of the septic tanks, and post-construction restoration, including permitting and EVMWD system charges. There is a one-year warranty on construction defects, after which the lateral is yours to maintain.
When is the deadline to join the Avenues project?
August 31, 2026. EVMWD states that eligible property owners in the Avenues project limits have until that date to sign up, and that after it, no additional properties will be added to the project. Sedco Hills is on a separate schedule, having broken ground in summer 2026 with completion anticipated in mid-2028. Call the project helpline on 951-200-4136 rather than assuming which applies to you.
Can I join if my septic system has already failed?
Not straightforwardly. EVMWD requires that septic systems "will need to be in fair working order to be converted and connected to the sewer line," and says the same about your electrical system if your lot needs a grinder pump. Where a system is not functioning properly, the district encourages owners to make the necessary repairs at their own cost so the conversion can continue. The free conversion requires a working system, which is the opposite of what most people assume, so get a marginal system assessed before it fails rather than after.
What will I pay EVMWD each month after connecting?
Sewer charges are added to your existing EVMWD water bill using a fixed rate plus a variable rate based on household size: $29.80 fixed per month plus $11.48 per person. EVMWD gives a worked example of a household of four paying $45.92 variable plus $29.80 fixed, a total of $75.72 a month. If your lot requires a grinder pump, running it adds roughly $50 a year to your electricity bill and its long-term maintenance becomes your responsibility after the first year.