If someone at your door claims to work for EMWD, call 951-928-3777 ext. 6265 to verify the person before allowing access. Eastern Municipal Water District, California’s sixth-largest retail water agency, serves nearly one million people across a 682-square-mile area in western Riverside County and northern San Diego County; the district says its staff always wear uniforms and carry EMWD identification.
The Badge Is Not the Test. The Phone Call Is.
Treat the uniform as the opening question and the call as the answer. EMWD’s security notice says staff always wear uniforms and carry EMWD identification. For employee verification, call EMWD directly at 951-928-3777 ext. 6265.
The reason to make that call before anyone steps inside is the second person you may not have noticed. The San Diego County Water Authority warns that utility scam imposters may work in pairs, with one person talking to the resident at the door while the other cases the home for valuables.
Which EMWD Number to Call, and When
Save the employee-verification number: 951-928-3777 ext. 6265. EMWD Customer Service is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 1-800-426-3693. For emergency situations, EMWD’s Integrated Operations Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-800-698-0400 or 951-928-3777 ext. 6265.
The pitch does not only arrive at the door. SDG&E has reported utility imposters contacting people across San Diego County by phone, text or email and using urgency to pressure them into quick decisions. Do not let that pressure replace verification: if someone claims to be an EMWD employee, call 951-928-3777 ext. 6265. We pass along practical alerts like this in the newsletter.
Sources
- EMWD, Who We Are
- EMWD, Important Security Notice
- EMWD, 24/7 Emergency Information
- EMWD, Customer Service
- San Diego County Water Authority, utility scam alert
- SDG&E Today, “Utility Impersonation Scams”
