Marin total irrigation ban and water penalties arrive
Most Marin County residents and businesses will be prohibited from turning on their outdoor sprinklers and drip irrigation systems beginning this week — or face fines as high as $250 in addition to other drought penalties.
The ban enacted by the Marin Municipal Water District, which takes effect Wednesday, will continue through May. Hand spot-watering using a hose and spray nozzle or a watering can is still allowed. The restrictions do not apply to recycled water.
“The days are cooler and shorter,” said Carrie Pollard, a district manager. “It is cooling down. We have seen a little bit of rain. We’d like to see a little more but irrigation demands are usually low this time of year, so it makes sense for people to turn their irrigation off to the extent possible.”
Estimated water savings during this six-month irrigation ban have yet to be calculated, Pollard said.
The new restrictions also prohibit people from refilling completely drained swimming pools or from filling new pools that have not received a building permit by Wednesday.
Violators will receive an initial warning letter, then a $25 fine for a second offense and a $250 fine for further offenses.
The district, which serves 191,000 residents in central and southern Marin, approved the new rules in October as a way to preserve its dwindling reservoir supplies, which were once at risk of drying up by mid-2022.
Storms in late October and early November improved the district’s supply forecasts, but district staff say storage levels are still below average with no guarantee the county will see significant downpours this winter.
The district’s seven reservoirs, which make up 75% of its water supply, were 58% full as of the end of Monday. They would typically be 66% full this time of year, according to the latest storage data.
In addition to facing fines, people who turn on their sprinklers will also likely face excessive water use penalties on their bills.
Beginning Dec. 1, customers will receive a water allotment they can use during the district’s summer and winter billing cycles. Anyone who uses water above those amounts will be charged extra.
From December to May, customers who use water above tier 1 levels — more than 15,709 gallons during their bimonthly billing cycle, or about 65 gallons per person per day for a household of four — will be subject to penalties ranging from $5 to $15 for every 748 gallons in excess. The district charges rates based on every 100 cubic feet of water used, which equates to about 748 gallons.
From June to November, customers who use water above tier 2 levels — more than 44,135 gallons during their bimonthly billing cycle, or 184 gallons per person per day for a household of four — will be subject to the penalties of $10 or $15 for every 748 gallons of water in excess.
Similar to other water use restrictions, the board will consider variances to these rules for certain types of businesses that rely on water, such as nurseries and golf courses, and for homes with a large number of occupants, Pollard said.
The Mill Valley Golf Course, for example, is seeking a variance similar to other golf courses in the district. It would ban outdoor irrigation in December and January and allow for between 15% and 20% of average water use during the remaining months, according to Mill Valley parks supervisor Tony Boyd.
The district is also gauging interest in restarting its recycled water fill station near the Marin County Civic Center while the irrigation ban is in effect. The fill station allowed residents to fill containers with recycled water that could be used to water plants or spray surfaces.
So far, only about three requests have been made to restart the program, according to Paul Sellier, the district operations director.
“We certainly can do so if there is a need,” Sellier said.