PHOENIX — Canals play an important role in moving water across the Valley. Keeping the canals clean is a task that requires constant maintenance, and it's all possible thanks to the hard work of Salt River Project canal cleaners.
SRP operates seven different canals, helping move water across 131 miles in the Valley, according to SRP. The company is responsible for providing water to more than two million Arizonans.
"[The water] all goes through the water treatment plants," Todd Asquith, with SRP said.
During monsoon season, "trash and debris gets piled up on the grates," Asquith said.
The grates filter out some of the junk. Particularly during the summer, Algae grows quickly in the canals. Algae can grow virtually anywhere if there's enough water, sunlight, carbon dioxide and minerals.
"We have a machine here to clean the grates for the water to be able to get through," Asquith said.
SRP canal cleaners work 24/4, removing debris from the grates every hour. Roughly 75 maintenance works are placed along the canal system to clean the algae, and whatever junk ends up in the water.
"If there’s too much debris, the water will back up and not be able to get through and then the water treatment plants can't get enough water," Asquith said.
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