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Water
Water Treatment & Distribution
The GCSD obtains all of its water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This pristine water originates in Yosemite National Park as snow melt from a large watershed in the High Sierra. With controlled human contact and granite-type geology, the mineral content of this water is far lower than most bottled water, and the bacterial counts approach zero.
The domestic water system consists of approximately 70 miles of water mains, 530 fire hydrants, 2 water supply booster pumps, 2 treatment facilities with clear well storage, an emergency water supply treatment plant, and 5 water tanks throughout 11 different pressure zones.
Treated water gets distributed to approximately 3,500 customers in the populated areas of Big Oak Flat, Groveland, and Pine Mountain Lake.
Water Emergency
Please call 209-962-7161 immediately. The District's Collection & Distribution team is available at all hours for emergency response.
Do not turn on/off District Water Meters. The District strongly recommends the installation of a private shut-off valve located directly before your meter.
How do I turn off water to my home?
- Locate your master shut off valve. This valve is usually located where the water line comes into the house or near the water meter. If you do not have a customer shut off valve, we strongly recommend that you install one. Keep in mind that it is best to install the valve as close to the meter as possible.
- Depending on the type of valve, turn it clockwise until tight or rotate the handle so that it is perpendicular to the pipe.
- If you cannot locate or turn off the valve, please call the District Administrative Office at (209) 962-7161 and a member of our staff will turn off your meter for you. In case of after-hours emergencies, on-call personnel are available.
Resources for New & Existing Development
Water Leaks
Unnoticed leaks can cost you thousands of gallons of water loss every month. A slow drip can use up to 15 to 20 gallons a day, while even a pinhole size leak can waste 100 gallons in 24 hours.
If you suspect you may have a water leak, follow these steps to determine:
- Ensure that all faucets, irrigation, and water-consuming appliances are shut off at your home.
- Remove the lid from your meter box (It will be a rectangular cement box, usually found near the street) and record the meter reading off of the meter inside the box. More information on how to read your water meter.
- Keep all water faucets and appliances off for a minimum of 10 minutes, after which you will need to re-check the meter reading. Any movement of the dial or change in number on the meter face indicates that water is running somewhere on your property.
Free leak detecting tablets for a toilet are available at the District Administrative Office.
How do I turn off water to my home?
- Locate your master shut off valve. This valve is usually located where the water line comes into the house or near the water meter. If you do not have a customer shut off valve, we strongly recommend that you install one. Keep in mind that it is best to install the valve as close to the meter as possible.
- Depending on the type of valve, turn it clockwise until tight or rotate the handle so that it is perpendicular to the pipe.
- If you cannot locate or do not have a private shut-off valve at your home, please call the District Administrative Office at 209-962-7161. Our Collection & Distribution team is available at all hours to assist.
There are many factors that can contribute to water loss. District staff is happy to assist in any way we can, but you are ultimately responsible for all water that passes through your meter.
Do not turn on/off District Water Meters. The District strongly recommends the installation of a private shut-off valve located directly before your meter.
What should I do if I see a leak?
Please call 209-962-7161.
Personal Shut Off
If you plan on being out of town for an extended period of time, or if you have located a leak in your home, you may need to turn off the water service to your house. In order to prevent damage to the District’s water meter, we strongly recommend that you use a privately installed shut off valve to turn on and off your water service.
How do I turn off water to my home?
- Locate your master shut off valve. This valve is usually located where the water line comes into the house or near the water meter. If you do not have a customer shut off valve, we strongly recommend that you install one. Keep in mind that it is best to install the valve as close to the meter as possible.
- Depending on the type of valve, turn it clockwise until tight or rotate the handle so that it is perpendicular to the pipe.
- If you cannot locate or do not have a private shut-off valve at your home, please call the District Administrative Office at 209-962-7161. Our Collection & Distribution team is available at all hours to assist.
Water Pressure
Annual inspection of your water pressure regulator is a homeowner's responsibility.
We live in mountain country. This fact makes maintaining a consistent water pressure across the entire community nearly impossible. For this reason, your house must have a water pressure regulator installed between your water meter and your first faucet or appliance that uses water. These are usually located inside the house (usually in your basement or crawl space beneath your house) at the point where your water line enters the house from the water meter.
GCSD is one of three communities in the nation with a water filtration avoidance waiver. The other two are New York City and San Francisco. The reason we don’t have to filter our water is because it is maintained in a pristine condition from snow pack to your home. This waiver saves our customers well over $20 per month on their water bills because filtration is expensive. The down side to this waiver is that sand and grit that spills off the walls of the Hetch Hetchy Mountain Tunnel can be pumped into our distribution system. We try to intercept most of this grit and sand with a large sand separator before it comes to your home. But, sometimes some sand and grit gets through. If you see some, please call us.
Because you may sometimes get sand or grit in your water, it could get trapped on the screen of your water pressure regulator. If too much accumulates, it could reduce the effectiveness of your water pressure regulator. For this reason, we ask that you or your plumber inspect and test your water pressure regulator on an annual basis. While inspecting the pressure regulator, your water pressure can be set to your liking for use inside your house. We suggest that you select a pressure between 40 and 50 pounds per square inch (PSI).
This is a homeowner responsibility, so please avoid damage to your home and appliances by checking your water pressure regulator at least once a year.
Backflow
Groveland Community Services District partners with Backflow Solutions Inc. (BSI), who provides the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the intricate regulations and technical aspects of backflow prevention. Through practical insights and up-to-date compliance guidance, BSI empowers you to protect your water systems effectively, ensuring safety and compliance at every step.
Water Main Breaks
Water main breaks occur anytime there is extreme or a change in ground temperature causing the ground to shift, wrapping or damaging pipes.
In addition to temperatures changes, a number of factors can cause a pipe to burst, crack, or leak, including:
- Corrosion
- Damage caused by shovels, back hoes, or other equipment
- Deterioration due to pipe age
- Nearby construction or pipe repairs
- Opening or closing fire hydrants too quickly
- Soil erosion
- Sudden increase in water main pressure
What happens once GCSD is notified of a water main break?
The District's Collection & Distribution Team will assess the situation to determine if it is a water main break. If it is determined to be a water main break, by law we must call 811 to request a mark out before digging. Once the mark outs are complete, repairs may begin.
The District's Collection & Distribution Team must determine the most likely point of the leak. Often, where water is surfacing is not a direct correlation to where the pipe is leaking. Water can travel far underground before surfacing.
Once the leak is located, water flow must halt at the damaged section so that the damaged pipe can be cut and replaced. Most breaks involve holes or cracks in the pipe which are repaired using a clamp. Some breaks involve broken valves or require cutting out and replacing a bad section of pipe. These types of repairs typically take longer to identify and longer to repair.
When the main is repaired and disinfected, we test the water to confirm it meets state and federal regulations. Once this is confirmed,, water flow may resume and the site repaired.
Will I be notified if my water service will be interrupted?
Our goal is to notify all customers affected by repairs. We do this by issuing phone calls. If the District does not have an active phone number on file, you will not receive this call.
Not sure if the District has your phone number?
Click here to update your account's contact information.
If the break occurs outside District Administrative Office hours, we do not issue a notice.
How long do repairs take?
Repair time varies on the size of the main, location, severity of the break, and weather conditions.
An estimated time of restoration will be provided when available in the notice.
What should I do once water service is restored?
Following restoration of water service, check your toilets for any leaks. The temporary change in water pressure may have caused the toilet flapper to seat improperly after water has been restored.
You may notice air in your lines or discoloration. This is due to sediment in the main getting stirred up. The sediments are harmless mineral deposits that naturally occur in water.
- Run cold water from the highest faucet in your home until the water runs clear (a bathtub faucet is a good place to run).
- If the water does not clear after 15-minutes, wait thirty-minutes and then flush again from the same faucet.
If the water does not clear, please call the District Administrative Office at 209-962-7161.
Do not flush cold water through a faucet that has a filter, like a refrigerator, as the sediment may clog your filter.
Do not use a hot water tap because it could draw sediment into your hot water tank.
Do not use discolored water for any purposes that require clean water (food preparation, drinking, medical, laundry, etc).
Why is there air in my lines/my water is discolored?
Once water is restored, you may notice air in your lines or discoloration. This is due to sediment in the main getting stirred up. The sediments are harmless mineral deposits that naturally occur in water.
- Run cold water from the highest faucet in your home until the water runs clear (a bathtub faucet is a good place to run).
- If the water does not clear after 15-minutes, wait thirty-minutes and then flush again from the same faucet.
If the water does not clear, please call the District Administrative Office at 209-962-7161.
Do not flush cold water through a faucet that has a filter, like a refrigerator, as the sediment may clog your filter.
Do not use a hot water tap because it could draw sediment into your hot water tank.
Do not use discolored water for any purposes that require clean water (food preparation, drinking, medical, laundry, etc).
Water Shut Off Policy SB 998
Senate Bill 998 (SB 998) states that a customer must be at least 60-days delinquent in payment of a utility bill before a water provider may terminate services. This 60-day requirement before discontinuation of water service will apply to all Groveland Community Services District water customers. The State of California adopted Senate Bill No. 998 on September 28, 2018, to establish by statute the Water Shutoff Protection Act (California Health and Safety Code Section 116900). As an urban water supplier with more than 200 service connections, the District is required to comply with the Water Shutoff Protection Act including adoption of a water shutoff policy for nonpayment for residential users to become effective on or before February 1, 2020.
Request to Unlock Water Meter for Real Estate Inspection
