Coachella Valley Water District

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Canal Water Service

Show All Answers

1. Why am I unable to order a 12-hour for today?: If you need to place a same day order there will be an extra charge involved (the order will be considered an “unscheduled on”) and we cannot guarantee a 12-hour order for that same day. We have delivery restraints due to lateral flow capabilities. If you are ordering water for the next day then you can place the order online. Orders for the next day should be placed by 11 a.m. the day prior so that we may accurately manage water needs for all users.

2. How many gallons of water are in an acre-foot?: There are 325,850 gallons in 1 acre-foot.

3. Are there conversion formulas to assist with CFS (cubic feet per second) water calculations?: One cubic-foot per second (or 7.48 gallons per second) is also equal to 448.8 gallons per minute, 1 CFS = miner's feet. Please see the table for additional conversions. Conversion Table

4. How do I read my meter?: There are different types of meters we use in our distribution system; however they all serve the same purpose. Some are digital and others are the more traditional clock-like meters. The function remains the same. The order is measured by the movement of water flowing through a boat-like propeller within the meter tube, and based on how rapidly it spins; it is how the volume of water flowing through the meter is determined. Questions regarding your particular meter can be addressed at your initial introductory meeting. For existing customers, please call our irrigation line at 760-398-2611 for assistance. Examples of Water Meters (JPG)

5. What types of services charges will I incur?: Please see our water rates page for detailed information. Water Rates

6. How do I know how much water to order if it’s my first time?: For the first order, we will assist you to effectively determine watering patterns for future orders. Once you apply and are approved for a canal water account we will send a representative out to meet with you at your meter. This process may take as long as 3 to 4 weeks to complete.

The process involves setting up your account, testing your meter and delivery valves to determine any further work that must be done on our part prior to delivering your first order. We will make sure that all valves and your meter are working properly. We will review specifics regarding how your meter measures water. We will go over what type of crop you will be watering and work with you to determine the most accurate amount of water necessary.

7. I was told that a zanjero will be coming out to my meter? What or who is a zanjero?: The definition varies depending on what source you use. A zanjero is an individual that manages the irrigation distribution system. Some of his tasks include turning valves, reading meters, and monitoring flows to insure delivery to the customer.

8. How long does it take to receive my water once the zanjero opens the meter?: There are 2 main factors that determine the answer. It depends on how many other users have ordered water for the same day, and the specific location on the delivery line that your meter occupies. It could take a matter of minutes or up to several hours. If you are a new user, this will be one of the topics we discuss with you when we meet with you at your meter as part of our introductory session.

9. I was told that my meter has been prorated for today’s order. What does that mean?: At certain times the amount of water ordered will exceed the capacity of the lateral (underground piping) serving your meter. When this happens the users with orders will each have their order cut back proportionately to evenly distribute the amount of water available to that specific lateral. The zanjero will then notify our Customer Service Representatives with the specific prorated amounts for each user.

10. How much water can I order if I use a pump?: Our system is gravity based. The use of a pump enhances this system. However, even with the use of a pump the amount of water ordered still will depend upon the lateral’s capacity. A normal meter capacity will be 150" (3 CFS). However our meters can vary, some have a capacity greater than or less than 150".

11. What is a meant by a short, long, and intermediate delivery?: When there is more than 1 user on a meter, each has a designated delivery point from which they irrigate. A short delivery is the closest acreage next to the meter. The district’s responsibility is 3 feet downstream of the short delivery valve. An intermediate delivery is located off of the long delivery and is used to irrigate the next acreage downstream of the meter. The district’s responsibility is also only 3 feet downstream of the intermediate valve. A long delivery is used to irrigate the furthest acreage to the south of the meter. The district’s responsibility is up to 1,300 feet from the long delivery valve. Any delivery lines or field valves past the points mentioned above will be the user’s responsibility.

12. What are the drawbacks of a 12-hour order vs. the benefits of 24-hour order?: A 12-hour order is basically an order that may be anywhere from 8-12 hours in length. The meter will get turned on between the hours of 6:30 and 11 a.m., and turned off toward the end of the day, between 5 and 9:30 p.m. A 12-hour run is problematic for the same reasons as an unscheduled order in that it will cause disruptions of service to the other users on the lateral. The most common issue that will take place is a surge in the line. A 24-hour order may be on anywhere from 22-24 hours in length. This type of order tends to provide a more consistent flow. The variance in the length of the order will depend upon how many meters are running on that particular day. Typically the laterals with 24-hour orders will have the least amount of delivery issues.

13. I was told there is a surge in the line, what does that mean?: A surge is caused by a change in the flow of water, pressure, air in the line, etc. the end result will be inconsistent deliveries to the meter. For example, in one instance you may receive 150" for a few seconds and then drop down to 50" as this surge moves back and forth through the lateral line. A surge will work its way out of the line over a period of hours however the adjustments to the lateral will cause the surge to continue for a longer period of time.

14. Will I be informed whenever the distribution system requires maintenance?: Yes, our website has a daily list of irrigation repairs that will be taking place. For planned repairs that involve an entire lateral a letter will be sent out to customers in advance. For repairs that involve only a few customers, phone calls will be made. If an emergency outage occurs and an immediate shut down is required, we will contact our Customer Service Representatives so that if you do call in to inquire about water outages they will be able to inform you of the disruption in service and any other pertinent information that might be available.

15. If my meter doesn’t register, do I still get charged for using water?: Yes, at times your meter register may become broken; when this occurs our zanjeros are able to determine the amount of flow by the number of valve turn openings they execute. All meters that have active orders are assessed every day to make sure that the delivery is constant. When a meter is found to be broken a work order is immediately executed and the meter is scheduled for repairs.

16. Can you give me a brief history of the canal distribution system and how it functions?: The Coachella Canal is a 123 mile (196 km) aqueduct that conveys Colorado River water for irrigation from the All-American Canal to the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California. Construction of the Coachella Canal began in the 1930’s by Six Companies, Inc., but was interrupted by World War II. After the war, work was resumed on the canal. The canal was completed in 1949 and water deliveries began at that time. The canal is currently operated by the Coachella Valley Water District.

The canal distribution system was constructed and engineered to follow the natural slope of the land to allow the free flow of water in the direction of the force of gravity. Irrigation pumps are used to deliver water to elevated areas within the availability zones.

17. Why am I not allowed to “work” my own meter?: There are many factors to consider in this answer: District liabilities (legalities and safe practices), prevention of damages that can occur (both district and private), disruption of service to other customers, and protection of users from liabilities for mishandling district property.

18. What is a split order?: A split order occurs when 2 or more users have orders for the same time period, on the same meter. Water will then be divided between / amongst the users. If a problem arises with 1 of the users (either the amount of water they are receiving or the amount of water ordered exceeds the capacity of the meter), then the user who placed their order first gets priority for the duration of his or her order. All subsequent users will be turned off. If the users are able to work together and modify their original requests, the district will do its best to provide all users with water (by prorating all deliveries).

19. What is an emergency off?: An emergency off is when a user calls in and needs their water turned off immediately. Once the district is notified that an emergency off has been requested, a zanjero will promptly make his way to the meter and turn it off. The charge for this is $125.

20. Is there such thing as an "emergency on"?: Yes, but only when the "emergency on" is requested by the Fire Department to battle a fire in an area that is adjacent to one of our irrigation meters.

21. If I request a non-emergency off or an unscheduled on, how long do I have to wait for the task to be completed?: The time period will vary. The zanjero has to follow a specific route to fulfill his scheduled orders. If the zanjero has passed the specific meter, he must complete his route and then return to the meter that has requested the unscheduled "on or off."

22. How much water am I allowed to order?: A user can order up to the capacity of their delivery system or the capacity of the district’s lateral and meter. A customer may request to meet district personnel for testing to be performed to determine the maximum amount of water they can order. The amount delivered to a specific meter may vary day to day depending on the total number of orders on the line that serves that meter.

23. Do I get charged the same if my meter is on a pump line system?: No. For this type of delivery there is an additional $6 per acre-foot, pumping surcharge fee due to the electricity required to operate the pumps. This applies to any pump deliveries installed after January 1, 1989.