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Cross-Connection / Backflow

What causes backflow?

Backflow is possible in two situations, backsiphonage and backpressure. Backsiphonage occurs when there is a sudden reduction in the water pressure in the distribution system, such as during firefighting or when a water main breaks, water flow can be reversed. This can create a suction effect drawing the non potable substance into the potable water system. Backpressure is created when pressure in the non-potable system, such as in a re-circulation system containing soap, acid or antifreeze, exceeds that in the potable system pressure. This can force the potable water to reverse in direction of flow through the cross connection. Non-potable substance can then enter the potable water system.

What is backflow?

Water distribution systems are designed to keep the water flowing from the distribution system to our customer. However, when hydraulic conditions within the system deviate from the “normal” conditions, water flow can be reversed. When this backflow happens, contaminated water can enter the distribution system.

What is cross connection control?

Cross connection control is a program designed to ensure safeguards are in place to protect our water supply. Through education and cooperation among the public and water providers, we can continue to provide high quality drinking water.

What is cross connection?

A cross connection is a permanent or temporary connection between potable drinking water and anything that can pollute or contaminate the water supply.

Customer Service

Can I obtain an extension on my payment due date?

BCVWD is a cost recovery district, therefore we do not offer extensions of due dates. We do however offer a (30) day notice on all accounts, providing our customers with an extended period of time to process all payments. Additionally, the district provides a 2nd notice once the 30 day threshold has been met. A $5 dollar late fee will be charged to the account but this will provide the customer an additional (2) weeks to make a payment on the account.

How can I obtain the status of my account?

You are welcome to call the District at anytime to obtain information about your account. Please keep in mind that we are only able to provide detailed account information if you are the account holder or your name is on the account as an authorized contact.

How can I pay my bill?

In addition to paying your bill online or in the office, the District has several payment options including phone, mail, and pre-authorized payments. Please CLICK HERE for a full list of options.

How does the Auto Pay Service work?

Each billing period you will still receive your water billing statement, just as you do now.  The difference is, with Auto Pay Service your bill is paid automatically from your checking account on the bill due date.  You simply deduct the amount from your check register, and you are done. It’s that easy!  ENROLL IN AUTOPAY TODAY!!!

What are the District’s business hours?

The District is open to the public Monday – Thursday from 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. We are closed to the public on Friday. In the event of an water emergency, please call (951) 845-1572.

General Information

How many active service connections does the District have?

As of 12/31/2017 the District has over 17,727 active metered connections.

Single Family 16,622
Multi-Family 139
Commercial/Institutional 587
Industrial 31
Landscape Irrigation 316
Agricultural 33
Other 1

What area does Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District Serve?

Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District provides retail water services to the city of Beaumont, Cherry-Valley, portions of the city of Calimesa.

Where is Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District located?

Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District is located at:
560 Magnolia Ave.
Beaumont, CA 92223
(951) 845-9581

Nearest Cross Streets are 6th Street and Beaumont Ave.

Who owns Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District?

In March of 1919, the Beaumont Irrigation District was formed by a vote of the people in the community under the Wright Act of 1897. Following a year of investigation and negotiations with Mr. C.B. Eyer and his partner, Mr. K.R. Smoot, the Beaumont Irrigation District purchased the holdings of the Beaumont Land and Water Company and San Gorgonio Land and Water Company. The agreement to purchase was dated December of 1920. The Beaumont Land and Water Company and San Gorgonio Land and Water Company became a public agency known as the Beaumont Irrigation District. The district capital improvements included new water mains and additional wells to increase the service capabilities of the system. Throughout the 1920’s, the District explored the Edgar Canyon and Noble Canyon areas, drilling and exploring for additional groundwater. 35 wells were drilled on canyon lands to increase service reliability

BCVWD is considered a special district and conducts its business similar to other public agencies with noticed open meetings and proceedings.

Job Applications and Employment

Are resumes accepted in lieu of an application?

No. A completed BCVWD application is required for each job opening. A resume may be attached to the application if desired.

Do you accept job applications when there are no job openings?

No. BCVWD accepts applications only for current job openings. You are however encouraged to sign up on our website to be notified of new job postings.

How do I submit an application for employment?

Completed applications must be received by the District Office by close of business on the closing date. Applications are accepted by mail, fax or in the lobby at our main office. Applications postmarked on or before the closing date will be accepted.

Recycled Water

Can People Drink Recycled Water?

In some cases Yes.  However, Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District (District) DOES NOT use recycled water as a source of domestic drinking water. Some Cities and Water agencies have the ability, and have been permitted by the Department of Water Resources, or regulatory agency having jurisdiction, for what is called direct potable reuse. This is where highly treated Recycled Water is introduced to the drinking water system. This highly treated water is “pure water”, tested and declared safe by the Department of Water Resources, or regulatory agency having jurisdiction, for human consumption. The District ONLY plans at this time, to serve non-potable water sources, such as Recycled Water, for the purpose of landscape irrigation.  While safe for irrigation use, Recycled Water is NOT (nor proposed to be) used for human consumption within the District’s service area.

Does Recycled Water Affect the Environment?

Yes.  However, the environmental effects of using Recycled Water are generally positive.  In addition to providing a dependable, locally-controlled water source, recycling water provides significant environmental benefits.  Recycled Water is highly-treated wastewater that does not pose a threat to plant or wildlife.  In fact, a certain portion of historical wastewater effluent is maintained to support existing ecosystems.  This highly treated,  Recycled Water provides ecosystems with a higher quality of water than traditional wastewater discharges. After ecosystem discharge requirements are met, additional water supplies are then used for Recycled Water irrigation and industrial use efforts.  The City of Beaumont’s new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) will provide Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtering to demineralize the water to ensure the groundwater basins do not become overly impacted by the use of Recycled Water.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency states “In addition to providing a dependable, locally-controlled water supply, water recycling provides tremendous environmental benefits. By providing an additional source of water, water recycling can help us find ways to decrease the diversion of water from sensitive ecosystems. Other benefits include decreasing wastewater discharges and reducing and preventing pollution. Recycled water can also be used to create or enhance wetlands and riparian habitats.” https://www3.epa.gov/region9/water/recycling/pdf/brochure.pdf

In an industrial use context, Recycling Water prevents pollution.  Machines and equipment that use water often produce wastewater that carry pollutants.  By Recycling wastewater, many of these pollutants can be removed before the water is reintroduced to the environment.

Does Recycled Water Come Through The Same Pipes as Domestic Water?

No.  The pipes for distributing Recycled Water and the pipes that distribute Domestic Potable Water are completely separate from one another.  This means that the domestic potable water in a home or the water in a drinking faucet are served by a completely different system than Recycled Water.

Does Recycled Water Help With Conservation?

Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District (District) relies, for the most part, on an underground aquifer called the Beaumont Basin to supply Domestic Potable Water to our customers.  The use of Recycled Water is critical for sustainable management of the Beaumont Basin aquifer and long term regional water supplies.  Recycled Water is a virtually drought proof source of local water supply and provides the District an opportunity to conserve groundwater supplies by reducing groundwater pumping necessary to supply the irrigation activities at parks, green belts (common areas), schools, commercial properties and golf courses. By simply using Recycled Water for these irrigation activities the District will provide for significant conservation of Domestic Water supplies.

Does Recycled Water Save Energy?

Yes.  Using Recycled Water to irrigate parks, green belts (common areas), schools, commercial properties, and golf courses, conserves potable drinking water for domestic use.

Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District (District) relies on an underground aquifer called the Beaumont Basin to supply Domestic Potable Water to our customers.  Domestic water is pumped out of the  Beaumont Basin and/or Edgar Canyon via groundwater wells.  Portions of this water supply are then boosted to storage tanks where the District can then provide pressurized water to the Domestic water system.  Both groundwater wells and booster pumps use a significant amount of electricity at a cost to our rate payers.  There is also treatment, distribution, sampling, and laboratory analysis of Domestic water supplies that incur additional costs. The use of Recycled Water should take approximately 50% of the energy necessary to pump equivalent groundwater supply.

To replenish the Beaumont Basin aquifer, the District purchases imported water that is subsequently delivered to our Noble Creek Recharge Facility Phase I and Phase II, located east of Beaumont Ave. and North of Brookside Ave.  The ponds at the Noble Creek Recharge Facility provide an opportunity to replenish the Beaumont Basin with imported and local surface water.  This water can then be naturally filtered by the soil as it travels down to the Beaumont Basin where high quality water is stored for future use.

Maximizing the use of local resources, like Recycled Water, reduces the District’s dependence on  imported water supplies by reducing the amount of imported water needed for replenishment of the Beaumont Basin.  Use of Recycled Water should also reduce the electrical, treatment, distribution, sampling, and laboratory analysis cost associated with the delivery of Domestic water.

Does Recycled Water Save Money?

Yes.  By using Recycled Water to irrigate parks, schools, greenbelts (common areas),  commercial properties and golf courses, the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District (District) reduces the need to purchase imported water for the replenishment of the Beaumont Basin groundwater aquifer.  Using Recycled Water also reduces electrical, treatment, sampling, laboratory analysis, and distribution costs.  These savings help District water rates remain as low as possible for our customers.

Does Water Recycling Reduce or Prevent Pollution?

Yes.  Traditional wastewater discharge has higher concentrations of pollutants than highly treated Recycled Water.  When higher-quality water is discharged to the environment, the pollutant loadings to groundwater basins, oceans, rivers, streams, and other water bodies are decreased.  Recycled water tends to have higher levels of nutrients and/or nitrogen which are of beneficial use for landscape irrigation.  As a result, Recycled Water use can also reduce the need to apply synthetic fertilizers in some cases.

In an industrial use context, Recycling Water prevents pollution.  Machines and equipment that use water, often produce wastewater that carry pollutants.  By Recycling wastewater, many of these pollutants can be removed before the water is introduced to the environment.

How Can I Tell if Recycled Water or Domestic Potable Water is Being Used?

The physical  difference between a “potable” water system and a “non-potable” or “Recycled Water” system is the color/marking of piping, fixtures, and appurtenances.  Potable water systems do not have a specific color or marking for piping.  Potable water systems can range in color from black to blue or from natural metal/plastic colors to a variety of wraps.  On the other hand, Recycled Water has very specific color and marking requirements.  Recycled Water pipes, fixtures, sprinkler heads, valves, mains, services, and appurtenances, by regulation, must be purple in color and/or clearly marked “Recycled/Reclaimed Water, Do Not Drink”.  Marking must be on a purple background with black lettering.  The coloring/marking of Recycled Water helps to assure that Potable and Non-Potable/Recycled systems are not interconnected by accident.

Initial shut down pressure tests are conducted at every Recycled Water Use Area with annual and periodic follow up shut down tests, to confirm the physical separation of Potable and Non-Potable/Recycled Water systems.  In addition to color/marking, Recycled Water use areas must be clearly identified with adequate signage stating “Recycled Water – Do Not Drink” in both Spanish and English and shall include the universal symbol for “Do not drink”.

How Can Recycled Water Benefit Us?

Water is a precious resource and the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District (District) works tirelessly to manage local water sources in a responsible manner.  The District currently operates a non-potable water system that has the ability to deliver filtered surface water, untreated ground water, domestic drinking water and recycled water as a blended source to many of our customers, for landscape irrigation use.  Recycled Water is a valuable addition to the Districts non-potable water supply portfolio and is critical for sustainable management of our long-term water supplies.  Because Recycled Water is highly treated wastewater, it is a source of supply that is not directly impacted by drought conditions.  Using Recycled Water to irrigate parks,  green belts (common areas), schools, commercial properties and golf courses, conserves potable drinking water for domestic use.  Maximizing the use of local resources, like Recycled Water, reduces the District’s dependence on imported water supplies.

How is Recycled Water Delivered to Customers?

Recycled Water is delivered through a dedicated system of storage tanks, pumps, pressure regulating stations, meters, backflow preventers, and pipes called “mains” and “services”.  In this way, Recycled Water is delivered to customers in the same way that potable water is delivered.

The physical difference between a “potable” water system and a “non-potable” or “Recycled Water” system is the color/marking of piping, fixtures, and appurtenances.  Potable water systems do not have a specific color or marking for piping.  Potable water systems can range in color from black to blue or from natural metal/plastic colors to a variety of wraps.  On the other hand, Recycled Water has very specific color and marking requirements.  Recycled Water pipes, fixtures, sprinkler heads, valves, mains, services, and appurtenances, by regulation, must be purple in color and/or clearly marked “Recycled/Reclaimed Water, Do Not Drink”.  Marking must be on a purple background with black lettering.  The coloring/marking of Recycled Water helps to assure that Potable and Non-Potable/Recycled systems are not interconnected by accident.

Initial shut down pressure tests are conducted at every Recycled Water Use Area with annual follow up shut down tests, to confirm the physical separation (no cross-connection) of Potable and Non-Potable/Recycled Water systems.

Is Recycled Water Safe?

Yes.  Recycled Water is treated to standards established by the California Department of Public Health (now the State Water Resources Control Board) and is frequently monitored by Local, State, and Federal regulatory agencies.  As a result, Recycled Water is safe for bodily contact and non-potable (not for drinking) activities, such as landscape irrigation, non-potable industrial use, and in some areas, for groundwater recharge.

What is Recycled Water?

“Recycle” defined: verb, convert (waste) into reusable material.

When you think of recycling, you probably think of aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic or paper products like newspaper and cardboard.  However, WATER can also be recycled and subsequently reused as a sustainable local source.

Recycled Water is highly treated wastewater that has undergone extensive filtration, disinfection and treatment processes to remove solids, impurities, and harmful pathogens.  Generally, Recycled Water refers to highly treated domestic Wastewater, but other sources like storm water runoff and industrial waste could be treated for reuse in a similar way.  The source water and treatment process determine the quality of Recycled Water.  When compared to domestic drinking water in any particular region, Recycled Water tends to have higher levels of Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) and higher levels of nutrients than the Domestic water used in the same area.  This limits the use of Recycled Water to landscape irrigation, industrial non-potable use and in some areas, for the recharge of groundwater aquifers.

What is The Difference Between Potable and Non-Potable Water?

The University of California (USC) Manual of Cross-Connection Control 10th ed. defines Potable Water as “Water from any source which has been investigated by the health agency having jurisdiction, and which has been approved for human consumption”. Non-Potable Water therefore, would include water from any source that has not been investigated and approved by the health agency having jurisdiction for human consumption.

Where Does Recycled Water Come From?

Generally, Recycled Water refers to highly treated domestic Wastewater.  When we flush toilets, take showers, wash dishes or run dish washers, wastewater is created.  A large portion of this wastewater is made up of pure water.  Through advanced wastewater treatment activities, the pure water is separated from waste material, disinfected and made available for reuse in landscape irrigation, industrial non-potable, or in some areas, for the recharge of groundwater aquifers. , Other non-potable sources like storm water runoff and industrial waste could be treated for reuse in a similar way.

Who Can Use Recycled Water?

Recycled Water is purposed for the irrigation of parks, schools, greenbelts (common areas), commercial properties and golf courses.  The Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District (District) has a significant network of non-potable mains and services within the City of Beaumont.  However, the non-potable water system is limited and designed to provide water to large irrigation customers.  This source of supply will reduce the need to pump groundwater for irrigation efforts.

Why is Recycled Water Use Important?

The use of renewable energy sources, as well as, the responsible stewardship of natural resources is important for the sustainability of future generations. Using Recycled Water to irrigate parks,  green belts (common areas), schools, commercial properties and golf courses, conserves potable drinking water for domestic use.  Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District (District) relies, for the most part, on an underground aquifer called the Beaumont Basin to supply Domestic Potable Water to our customers.  To replenish the Beaumont Basin aquifer, the District purchases imported water that is subsequently delivered to our Noble Creek Recharge Facility Phase I and Phase II, located east of Beaumont Ave. and North of Brookside Ave.  The ponds at the Noble Creek Recharge Facility provide an opportunity to replenish the Beaumont Basin with imported and local surface water.  This water can then be naturally filtered by the soil as it travels down to the Beaumont Basin where high quality water is stored for future use.  Maximizing the use of local resources, like Recycled Water, reduces the District’s dependence on imported water supplies by reducing the amount of water needed to replenish the Beaumont Basin aquifer.

Water Quality

Do I need to use a water-treatment system or drink bottled water?

In general, not unless you want to change your tap water’s taste or remove the minerals that cause it to be “hard.” While many people prefer the taste of bottled water, tap water is subject to even more-stringent quality standards than bottled water and is tested more frequently.

Some customers may be sensitive to the taste or odor of their tap water caused either by naturally occurring minerals or by residual chlorine added to ensure disinfection. We recommend first trying the simple practice of placing the water in a pitcher and letting cool in the refrigerator. Also, most inexpensive carbon filters will remove residual chlorine.

Pregnant women and people with medical conditions affecting their immune system should consult a physician to determine whether a supplemental treatment system is appropriate.

How do I know if my water is safe to drink?

The water distributed by Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District that our customers receive at their taps meets or exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards set to protect public health.

The Federal Safe Drinking Act of 1974 and its 1986 amendments are intended to ensure the quality of our nation’s water supplies. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Public Health set forth regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Department of Public Health regulations also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that provide the same protection for public health.

Why does my water sometimes look cloudy?

Occasionally the District receives customer inquiries regarding the appearance of “cloudy” or “milky” tap water. This condition is usually due to the presence of dissolved oxygen in the water supply. As the water passes through household water faucet restrictors and/or aerators, the dissolved oxygen collects to form small but visible bubbles. This appearance will typically clear within 30 seconds, as the bubbles rise and dissipate into the atmosphere. The cloudy or milky condition is not indicative of a water quality or public health concern.

Water Rates

How much water is a billing unit?

One billing unit is equal to 100 cubic feet of water, or 748 gallons of water.

What are Pass Through charges?

A pass through charge covers unforeseen increases in wholesale charges for imported water, groundwater management, and electrical services which may be passed through to the customer as they occur. If the District finds it necessary to pass through unforeseen wholesale charge increases, customers will be informed of these additional charges in advance of the effective date, and each additional charge will be itemized on each bill.

We currently charge a pass through charge for electrical and water importation fees.

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