Description

The Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) is developing a new program to improve water supply reliability. MMWD staff has identified a theoretical water supply deficit of 6,700 afy by the year 2025. A range of alternatives are being considered to address the projected supply deficit. The alternatives include increased water conservation, improved reservoir management, increased water recycling, importing additional Russian River water and constructing a desalination facility.

By assuming normal year demand equates to careless and wasteful water use after a series of very wet years, MMWD overestimates existing average year demand by 2,000 afy. With a policy to limit rationing to 25 percent of wasteful year water use in drought of record conditions, MMWD also underestimates demand elasticity and customer willingness to conserve during serious drought events. Well-designed, long-term water conservation programs better prepare
customers to use considerably less water during future drought events.