**3.2 Irrigation equipment routine operation maintenance**

Throughout the irrigation season, implementing a daily maintenance protocol for the irrigation equipment components is required, basically consisting of the analysis of the registered operation information provided by volume totalizers, flow measurements, and operation times for each irrigated sector, for early detection of eventual anomalies in its operation.

The goal is to always keep within a range of variation that does not exceed 5% of the pressure and discharge values established in the original design of the equipment. If any of these two parameters deviate above or below this range, at any point of the irrigation network, it is necessary to find the failure point or section and repair it immediately, to maintain the correct supply of water to the crop.

The most frequent problems to find during the irrigation season are partial emitter clogging, irrigation hydraulic valve elasticity reductions, leading to incomplete opening or closing, breakages and leaks in the water distribution pipes, filters' inadequate cleaning, malfunctioning of electrically operated pilot valves, pump efficiency reductions, and mechanical damage of laterals due to field operations (labor, animal, or machinery) or rodent damage.
