Novato Waterline Spring 2025

In This Newsletter

Message From Tony Williams, General Manager
Important Information About Your Water Rates
Low-Income Rate Assistance (LIRA) Program
Saving for a Rainy Day
North Marin Water District’s New Demonstration Garden
New State Regulations on “Cross-Connection” and “Backflow” Prevention
Cash for Grass
Mulch Rebate
Water Smart Savings Program

Message From Tony Williams, General Manager

Fire Safety and Water Infrastructure

At North Marin Water District (District) we are thankful for our various regional partnerships with other agencies and stakeholders. In light of the LA Fires and ongoing impacts from climate change, our partnership with the Novato Fire Protection District couldn’t be stronger. In January, Chief Tyler and I gave a presentation to the Novato City Council covering both what residents can do to harden their properties and the District’s capabilities to supply water for firefighting. Click here to view the presentation.

Critical Infrastructure

The District operates and maintains an extensive water distribution system to ensure there is always water available for human consumption and firefighting purposes. The key components include storage tanks, pump stations, water pipelines, and thousands of fire hydrants connected to the water pipes throughout the community. Treated water enters the system through two very different sources: the Stafford Treatment Plant (STP), which treats water from Stafford Lake; and the North Marin Aqueduct, which transmits Russian River water purchased from Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water). In order to maintain water pressure and to move this supply from the lower elevations to higher elevations, the District operates 26 pump stations. The most critical pump stations are the San Marin Pump Station, Lynwood Pump Station, and the STP High Service Pump Station.

Administration Headquarters and Water Quality Laboratory

In late February, our administration, engineering, and support staff moved back to the District’s remodeled Administration Building. There are several highlights of this project, including a centralized computer server room for all system controls and communications; a board meeting room that doubles as an Emergency Operations Center; and a new state of the art water quality laboratory. The new laboratory will provide ample space to conduct required testing for the high-quality water provided to our customers and accommodate future testing needs in the ever-changing world of regulations and procedures. The District’s laboratory staff will be running tests and ensuring new lab equipment is fully functional as part of a state certification process. It is expected that the new laboratory will be state-certified by July and can facilitate microbiology, metals, and inorganic chemical testing to ensure the water delivered to our customers meets or exceeds all state and federal water quality standards. The District laboratory also provides important testing services for its other water and wastewater enterprises in West Marin and to partner agencies throughout Marin County.

Important Information About Your Water Rates

New water rates will go into effect on July 1, 2025. The increases are needed to cover rising operating costs, fund critical infrastructure projects, and include a pass-through from Sonoma Water, our main supplier. Following a detailed rate study and public review process, the Board accepted the study’s findings as the basis for the rate adjustments. Through this process, proposed increases were recommended to ensure continued water reliability, system improvements, and financial stability.

View the full rate study and learn more.

Low-Income Rate Assistance (LIRA) Program

This program is available to eligible low-income customers and provides a credit on a two-month billing cycle of $30 per bill or $180 per year.

A direct water customer who has a single-family residential account and is eligible for PG&E’s income-based CARE program is eligible for the District’s LIRA Program. Once approved, the discount would apply to your next billing cycle.

To request an application or for further information call our billing department at 415-897-4133 or click here.

Saving for a Rainy Day

The Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program partnered with the North Marin Water District and Marin Water continues to provide enhanced incentives for Marin County residents who install rain catchment systems. Harvesting and storing rainwater runoff not only prevents potential pollutants from entering our waterways, but it also provides a ready source of supplemental irrigation for homeowners’ gardens and landscapes. Plus, every gallon of water stored in these systems saves a gallon of potable water, supporting sustainable water use for our region. With rebates increased to $0.75 per gallon – up to $2,000 available for each customer – now is the perfect time to take advantage of catchment system rebates. Learn more about the rebates here.

2023/2024 Annual Report

Our 2023/2024 Annual Report is now available! Check it out here.

Pay Your Bills Online

Pay your bills online, sign up for autopay and paperless billing here.

North Marin Water District’s New Demonstration Garden

The District would like to invite you to visit our new low water use Demonstration Garden located at our remodeled administration building at 999 Rush Creek Place in Novato. Created to provide examples of beautiful low water use plants that thrive in our Novato climate, we hope it inspires you to choose plants for your own landscape that flourish with less water. The Demonstration Garden is drip irrigated using recycled water and rainwater, and a weather-based controller automatically adjusts the irrigation schedule based on the current conditions. Having a garden that is water-smart and beautiful is easy and the plants found in the garden are only a small sample of the possibilities for your water-wise garden. Bear with us as the plants are still a bit young, but you are welcome to come by and visit the front portion anytime.

Find the perfect plants for your garden and more information about the plants in this Demonstration Garden, including a self-guided garden map with a detailed plant list here.

New State Regulations on “Cross-Connection” and “Backflow” Prevention

What is a “cross-connection” and a “backflow” and why does it matter? A cross-connection is an actual or potential connection between the District’s potable water distribution system and a customer’s property where there is another liquid, gas or an auxiliary water supply (such as a well or unpermitted water source). Backflow is the undesired or unintended reversal of flow of water or other liquids, gases or other substances from a customer’s property into the District’s water distribution system. Controlling and preventing a “cross-connection” or a “backflow” is a public health priority that the North Marin Water District is tasked with upholding as part of our delivery of water to your house or business. Regulations that govern these standards of protection date as far back as 1924 and in July of 2024, the state of California mandated new rules for prevention.

For more information on these requirements, including examples of when a backflow prevention assembly is needed, click here.

Cash for Grass

North Marin Water District recently increased the incentive for replacing regularly maintained, irrigated lawns with District-approved low water use plantings on drip irrigation. The incentive is now $1.50 per square foot of lawn area if you replace it with qualified low water use planting (up to $1,500 per single-family dwelling) and an additional per square foot rebate if the project meets the additional Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program’s criteria for delayed stormwater runoff.

Pre-qualification virtual inspection and re-landscaping plan approval are required for participation. To learn more about the program and the qualifications for the different rebate levels and to see if your project qualifies, click here or call 415-761-8944.

Mulch Rebate

Don’t forget to mulch. Mulching your landscape helps reduce evaporation and cools the soil, reducing the water requirements of the plants. As part of the District’s Water Smart Landscape Efficiency Rebate Program, mulch purchase and installation can be rebated at 50% the cost of approved mulch materials up to $200.

Please call 415-761-8944 or email [email protected] for details on participation, and remember to follow the Novato Fire Department’s guide for mulch application in proximity to your house.

Water Smart Savings Program

North Marin Water District wants to help customers use water efficiently. That’s why we’ve put all of our water saving promotions under one umbrella with new and easier online forms for most programs to help encourage your participation. Call 415-761-8944 for program details or click here.

Water Smart Home Survey

This free service includes thorough indoor and outdoor water efficiency checks. Virtual surveys or over-the-phone guidance can also be offered.

Water Smart Landscape Rebate

Rebates available for water-efficient landscape equipment, such as a new drip irrigation system replacing a spray system or a rain shut off device, and approved mulch installations.

Pool Cover Rebate

Rebates are available for replacement pool covers.

Cash for Grass Rebate

Get cash for removing irrigated and maintained lawn and replacing it with low water use plants. Pre-qualification is required.

High-Efficiency Clothes Washer Rebate

NMWD offers a rebate to customers when they purchase a qualifying high-efficiency clothes washer.

Rainwater Catchment Rebate

Rebate for collection and storage of rainwater.

High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate

Customers who replace an old water-guzzling toilet with a high-efficiency toilet may be eligible for a rebate.

Weather-Based Irrigation Controller Rebate

Rebate for weather-based irrigation controllers that use weather data and site information such as plant type and sprinkler system output to automatically adjust watering times and frequency.

Greywater Rebate

Rebate available for installation of qualified greywater systems.