West Marin Service Area Drought Guide

The North Marin Water District Board of Directors adopted Amended Emergency Water Conservation Ordinance No. 39 for the West Marin Service Area in response to continued dry year conditions on Lagunitas Creek and pursuant to State Water Resources Control Board Order 95-17 for water right permits issued to North Marin Water District.

Ordinance No. 39 provides for the imposition of water use restrictions and prohibits specific uses of water in order to ensure adequate water supplies are available to serve public health and safety requirements within the West Marin Service Area. As amended, Ordinance No. 39 authorizes the Board of Directors to make subsequent modifications to the Ordinance by resolution and authorizes the imposition of administrative fines and penalties for violations of the Ordinance.   The Amended Emergency Water Conservation Ordinance NO. 39 can be viewed below along with a summary sheet of water use prohibitions.  In order to comply with Marin County Health Shelter in Place Order, inspection of the draft ordinance will not be available at the District office.

Full Ordinance: Emergency Water Conservation Ordinance 39 Amended October 19, 2021 (PDF File)

Summary of Drought Prohibitions for the West Marin Service Area:

Water Waste and Non-Essential Use Prohibitions Effective July 1, 2020:

• Permitting water to escape down a gutter, ditch or other surface drain.
• Failure to repair a controllable leak of water within a reasonable time.
• Using water for non-recycling decorative fountains or single-pass cooling systems.
• Washing down exterior paved areas.
• Washing cars, boats, trailers or other vehicles and machinery directly with a hose not equipped with a shutoff nozzle
• Potable water on ornamental turf in public street medians
• Drinking water other than on request in eating or dining establishments
• Water for the daily laundering of towels and linens in hotels and motels without offering guests the option of choosing not to have daily laundering.
• Refilling a swimming pool drained after May 5, 2020 or initial filling of a swimming pool for which an application for a building permit was made after May 5, 2020.
• Washing privately-owned motor vehicles, trailers and boats except from a bucket and hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle for a quick rinse.
• Watering of any lawn, garden, landscape area. Overhead sprinkler irrigation can be used if the customer maintains an overall 25% reduction in water use when compared to the same billing period in 2013 or if the landscape is irrigated with drip or by hand with a container or hose with automatic shut off nozzle.
• Landscape watering beyond the hours of 7:00 PM and 9:00 AM of the next day and more than 1 days per week for overhead sprinkler irrigation or 2 days per week for drip irrigation.
• Use of water for dust control at construction sites.
• Non-residential use in excess of 25% less than the amount used by the customer during the corresponding billing period in 2013.

*This list serves only a summary of the water use prohibitions in Emergency Water Conservation Ordinance No. 39. For the full text of the prohibitions, please click on the Ordinance link above.

Summary of Prohibitions: Click here to download a summary of the prohibitions as a PDF file 

For all customer questions and comments regarding the 2021 drought water use prohibitions or to report a violation, please contact the District’s Water Conservation Hotline at (415) 761-8944 or email at waterconserve@nmwd.com.