MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — On Thursday, new water restrictions went into full effect in Marin County in the latest effort to conserve water.
The Marin Municipal Water District announced earlier this week that its more the 191,00 people it serves in central and southern Marin will no longer be able to turn on their sprinklers or drip irrigation to water outdoor landscaping.
The ban is set to be in place until May 31, 2022 and those who don’t comply can face up to $250 in fines among other penalties.
In response to the state’s ongoing drought, the water district said it changed its water sources to manage its water supply.
The district said on Friday that some customers may notice a different taste or odor in their drinking water as a result of the operational changes.
“These tastes and odors are caused by algae and do not affect the safety of your water,” the district said in a tweet Friday. “Your water is treated and meets or exceeds all state and federal requirements.”
District officials recommending individuals who are more sensitive to taste and odor changes to chill the water to help reduce the temporary change in taste or smell of your water.
The tighter water restrictions comes after the district was the the first major water agency in the Bay area to declare a water shortage emergency and impose water restrictions in May.
About 75% of the districts water supply derives from its reservoirs on Mt. Tamalpais and in west Marin — the remaining supply comes from Sonoma County’s Russian River water system.
According to the district’s latest update, its reservoirs was at 58% capacity as of Nov. 29.
Currently, Marin Water is considering building an eight mile pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and carry water purchased from agricultural producers in Central and Sacramento Valley.