Water district declares drought, warns of rationing

With seasonal rainfall totals at the lowest since the 1976-1977 drought, the Marin Municipal Water District has declared the county is again in a drought and is asking customers to cut their water usage. The district board unanimously approved the moves at its Feb. 16 teleconference meeting, calling on residents to check their homes for water leaks; switch to efficient faucets, showerheads, dish and clothes washers; move to low-water landscaping; and adhere to existing irrigation restrictions. “The past 12 months have been the fifth driest since the district began taking rainfall records 142 years ago,” District Operations Manager Paul Sellier reported to the board. “I have to say that, looking at the forecast and how much rainfall we’ve had to date, we might actually be happy if we achieve the 1976-77 rainfall numbers at this point.”

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