Novato Waterline Fall 2026

In This Newsletter

Message From Tony Williams, General Manager
Regulatory Roundup
Cash for Grass
Capital Improvement Project Spotlight
Water Smart Savings Program
North Marin Water District’s New Demonstration Garden
Don’t Miss the Next Issue

Message From Tony Williams, General Manager

Strategic Plan Update

I highlighted the North Marin Water District’s (District) 2025-2030 Strategic Plan in the spring newsletter and want to take a minute to share a brief update on our 2026 accomplishments. As a reminder, the Strategic Plan includes six primary goals and associated actions: Goal 1 — Strengthen Infrastructure Resilience; Goal 2 — Foster Organizational Excellence; Goal 3 — Ensure a Resilient Water Supply; Goal 4 — Enhance Customer Understanding and Engagement; Goal 5 — Optimize Operational Performance Readiness; and Goal 6 — Maintain Effective and Transparent Governance.

The 2026 accomplishments reflect completed strategic actions under Goals 1, 2, 4 and 6 that support the Novato Water System. Specifically, the following actions have been completed since January:

Completed a comprehensive Asset and Natural Hazard Risk Assessment that identified vulnerabilities in the water distribution system to be addressed (Action 1.2.1)
Completed a comprehensive organizational structure review and subsequent organizational chart revision to improve effectiveness and compliance (Action 2.1)
Developed a Public Education and Communication Plan, including a rapid-response strategy for misinformation (Actions 4.1 and 4.3)
Updated the Board of Directors Manual to clearly define roles and responsibilities and improve governance (Action 6.2)

For more information about the Strategic Plan, click here.

Water Infrastructure

Since the Novato Water System Master Plan was approved by our Board of Directors in January, the District’s Capital Improvement Program has focused on “backbone” pipelines, pump stations and storage tanks that would have a higher impact on the community if they were to fail (see Strategic Action 1.2.1 above). The District’s Engineering and Utilities teams will look for opportunities to collaborate with other local agencies to find efficiencies and reduce impacts on Novato residents. A good example of this is the recently awarded Novato Boulevard Improvements project, which is being led by the City of Novato in partnership with the District and Novato Sanitary District. The project includes rehabilitation of water and sewer infrastructure and roadway and pedestrian improvements from Diablo Avenue to Grant Avenue.

For more on this project, see the Capital Improvement Project Spotlight in this issue.

Responding to Water Leaks

Did you know that every day of the year, including weekends and holidays, the District has a qualified water professional on call and a team of specialists on standby after hours? If a water emergency such as a water main break occurs, the on-call member acts as a first responder to assess the situation and call in the standby crews if needed. When a water main break is confirmed, District standby crews spring into action and generally follow the steps highlighted below to restore water service. District crews will stay on-site as long as it takes to restore the flow of water:

Shut off valves in the distribution pipeline to isolate the affected area, including individual water meters; sometimes water is allowed to keep flowing to pinpoint the exact break location
Deploy measures to dechlorinate the leaking water to protect the environment
Excavate the location of the leak to expose the pipeline
Install a new section of pipe with special fittings or connectors to the existing pipe
Test and flush the pipeline to remove any debris and turn on the flow of water
Temporarily restore the road surface, usually with steel plates or temporary pavement, until the final road restoration is completed

Regulatory Update

As previously noted in our newsletters, drinking water supply, treatment and distribution are highly regulated, and the District prides itself on meeting or exceeding the various state and federal regulations that govern our water service to the community. Highlights of key regulatory changes that will affect our customers are featured later in this newsletter in the “Regulatory Roundup” section.

Regulatory Roundup

Non-Functional Turf Ban

In 2023, the State of California passed AB 1572, which prohibits the use of potable water to irrigate non-functional turf on municipal, commercial, institutional and industrial properties, including HOA common areas. Non-functional turf is defined as “any turf planted within nonresidential landscapes, excluding recreational areas, and other areas where turf is necessary for the intended function of the planted area and no alternative materials are suitable for the anticipated site use.” Put simply, non-functional turf refers to decorative lawn maintained primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than for recreational or community activities. Turf watered with recycled or well water is also excluded, as are residential properties other than HOA common areas.

Compliance dates are phased in by property type from 2027 to 2029:

January 1, 2027, for all municipal, public agency and/or government parcels
January 1, 2028, for all other institutional, commercial and industrial properties
January 1, 2029, for all homeowners association (HOA) common areas

We’re here to help our nonresidential customers meet these new state requirements ahead of the deadlines. We currently offer a Cash for Grass rebate that can help cover the cost of converting your lawn areas, up to $1.50 per square foot, with the maximum determined on a case-by-case basis.

If you are interested in learning more about non-functional turf and how the prohibition might affect your property or whether the state has identified non-functional turf on your property, please contact us at [email protected] or 415-761-8987.

For more detailed information on non-functional turf, click here.

Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention

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. Backflow is the undesired or unintended reversal of flow of these liquids or substances from a customer’s property into the District’s water distribution system. Preventing cross-connections and backflow is a public health priority and a key part of how the District delivers safe water to your home or business. Regulations that govern these standards of protection date back to 1924, and in July 2024, the State of California mandated new rules for prevention. In 2025, the state approved the District’s Cross-Connection Control Program Manual and a plan for implementing the new state guidelines. Over the next several years, District staff will be conducting hazard assessments of all services to evaluate the potential for a cross-connection or backflow and the need to install a backflow prevention device, the proven way to remove the hazard.

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

Our Water Quality Report is Now Available!

Check it out here.

Pay Your Bills Online, Sign Up for Autopay and Paperless Billing.

Visit onlinebiller.com/nmwd

Cash for Grass

demo garden

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 Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program’s criteria for delayed stormwater runoff.

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

Capital Improvement Project Spotlight

Investing in Your Water System

Novato Boulevard Project

The Novato Boulevard Improvements project represents years of design and coordination with our partner agencies, the City of Novato and Novato Sanitary District, and most importantly, it represents an investment in the critical infrastructure that delivers safe and reliable drinking water to our community. The project’s water improvements include replacement of more than a mile of pipeline originally installed in the 1960s that will increase redundancy in our backbone system through Central Novato. In addition to the mile of new pipeline, the project will upgrade fire hydrants, backflow prevention, system valving and service piping to hundreds of residential customers and more than 25 businesses.

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 programs under one umbrella, with new, easier online forms for most of them. 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 are also available.

Water Smart Landscape Rebate

Rebates are available for water-efficient landscape equipment, such as a new drip irrigation system replacing a spray system or a rain shutoff device, and for 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

The District offers a rebate to customers who purchase a qualifying high-efficiency clothes washer.

Rainwater Catchment Rebate

Rebates are available for rainwater collection and storage.

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

Rebates are available 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

Rebates are available for installing qualified greywater systems.

North Marin Water District’s New Demonstration Garden

Captured by Matt Spinetta

We invite you to visit our new low-water-use Demonstration Garden located at our remodeled administration building (999 Rush Creek Place, Novato). The garden showcases beautiful low-water-use plants that thrive in Novato’s climate, and we hope it inspires you to choose plants that flourish with less water in your own landscape.

The Demonstration Garden is drip-irrigated using recycled water and rainwater (when available), and a weather-based irrigation controller automatically adjusts the irrigation schedule based on the current weather. Having a garden that is water-smart and beautiful is easy, and the plants in our garden are just a small sample of the possibilities for your water-wise garden.

Come visit the garden Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and get a free pack of native wildflower seeds. Click here for more information.