MMWD proposes mandatory water rules

Conservation ordinance vote scheduled April 20

The Marin Municipal Water District is proposing mandatory conservation rules for the first time since 1988 in response to record-low rainfall levels akin to those of the notorious 1976-77 drought.

The proposed ordinance would require customers to limit outdoor watering to one day per week starting May 1 and adhere to other restrictions. The district board of directors plans to vote on the ordinance on April 20.

The district has received just 20 inches of rain this year, its second-lowest amount in 143 years of records. The lowest was 18 inches in 1924.

“We are still hitting just under 43% of average for this year,” Lucy Croy, the district water quality manager, said during the board meeting on Tuesday. “And looking ahead, it looks like there still is no miracle rainfall coming through April, unfortunately.”

The district relies on seven reservoirs in the Mount Tamalpais watershed, which make up about 75% of its total water supply. The other 25% is purchased and imported from Sonoma Water. As of April 1, the reservoirs had about 43,500 acre-feet of stored water, well below the average of about 73,500 acre-feet for that time span. It is the lowest storage level for this time of year in 38 years, which is the period that the district has had its current storage capacity.

The district has had to tap infrequently used reservoirs such as Phoenix Lake because of the low rainfall. Later this month, the staff expects to begin pumping water from the Soulajule Reservoir, which the district hasn’t done in 30 years.

District board members are hopeful the 191,000 residents in its service area will step up to the challenge.

“Historically, Marin saves and will conserve when they get the message,” board member Larry Bragman said at the directors’ meeting.

To promote greater conservation, the district also plans to offer enhanced incentives such as higher lawn replacement rebates and discounts on smart meter technology.

“We have a window here to make a dent but if we don’t move quick that window is going to pass,” said board member Larry Russell.

“Conservation is supply, and we need to invest in that in the same way we invest in other sources of supply,” board president Cynthia Koehler said.

If approved later this month, the outdoor irrigation restrictions would take effect on May 1. San Rafael, Mill Valley, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Fairfax, Sausalito, Belvedere and Tiburon would each be assigned a weekday in which residents would be allowed to water. District staffers would patrol areas to ensure compliance and ratepayers would be encouraged to report violations.

The district hopes to cut back summer water use by 40%, or 7,300 acre-feet, from May to October under the plan. This was not the most restrictive option being considered. One option proposed was to limit irrigation to trees only, which was estimated to save 8,200 acrefeet, or 55%, of typical summer water use.

The urgency conservation ordinance also would include prohibitions on the following:

• installing new or expanded landscaping

• power washing buildings and homes

• using potable water for dust control, compaction, street cleaning, etc.

• refilling pools, hot tubs and decorative fountains • washing vehicles, boats and planes without using hose shutoff nozzles

Any violations would start with a warning, followed by a $25 fine for a second offense and then a $250 fine if the same violation is repeated within 60 days.

While residents are not being required to hit certain conservation percentages or adhere to rationing, the district is asking them to continue voluntary conservation at home. Some members of the public called on the board to be more specific on a conservation target, such as 20%.

“That’s the sort of thing that people should know,” Roger Roberts told the board.

Russell said the district is being too liberal by allowing one day of watering and allowing people to wash their cars at home.

“I think we should step harder here than we’re proposing,” Russell said.

To incentivize water savings, the district plans to double its lawn-to-turf rebates to $2 per square foot and offer discounted smart meter technology to allow ratepayers to track their water usage.

Ben Horenstein, the district’s general manager, said the dry conditions this year are expected to cost the district nearly $21 million. The costs come from increased purchases of imported Sonoma County water to extend the supply of local reservoirs; reductions in water sales; renting generators to pump water from reservoirs; and conservation campaigns.

The district is authorized to implement drought rates up to 25% higher under mandatory conservation rules. However, the staff is recommending the board defer any decision on increasing rates and monitor the financial impacts in the meantime.

Other local water districts have or are planning to enact similar mandatory measures. The Bolinas Community Public Utility District approved a plan earlier this year to begin mandatory water rationing of 125 gallons per day per home if ratepayers’ water use goes over a certain threshold.

The North Marin Water District plans to consider mandatory conservation rules similar to MMWD’s later this month in response to its record lowest rainfall.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows more than 90% of California, including Marin County, is experiencing at least moderate drought conditions.