The Marin Municipal Water District doesn't need to build a desalination plant and could employ conservation measures, curb leaks and improve reservoir operations to meet future water needs, according to a new report.
The report, "Sustaining Our Water Future," was issued Wednesday by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit consumer organization Food & Water Watch. It was written by James Fryer, a former water district conservation program manager.
In February, the MMWD Board of Directors directed its staff to keep open the possibility of a controversial 5-million-gallon-a-day desalination plant as part of a package of steps to address the county's future water needs. But a final decision on desalination won't come until 2011.
The new report suggests the water district has overestimated the expected water shortfall because it based it on high-use years, not demand in a normal year.
By replacing inefficient fixtures, improving landscape irrigation, plugging system leaks and enhancing reservoir operations, Marin could have a reliable water supply without desalination, according to the report.
"The report illustrates what is the most cost-efficient and beneficial way for ratepayers to maintain water supply," said Adam Scow, of Food & Water Watch, which opposes desalination in general. "People want conservation, they don't want desalination and they are willing to take steps."
The report lists other recommendations. The district should:
- Re-establish a citizens advisory committee to support water conservation programs and provide oversight of water supply reliability improvements.
- Take a fresh look at rationing.
- Conduct a comprehensive urban landscape analysis using geographic information system and on-site surveys to determine the shape of a new landscape water conservation program.
- Conduct a district-wide groundwater study that also evaluates the integration of cisterns, rain gardens and flood management with groundwater recharge and management.
Paul Helliker, the water district's general manager, took issue with the report's suggestion that a large cut in landscape irrigation is doable and would be a primary water-saver.
"They are talking about everyone, businesses and homeowners, cutting landscape water use by 40 percent, that's a phenomenal cut," he said, noting the district is working on technology to help customers not over-water gardens.
While the report suggests a 4 percent reduction in water leaks, Helliker said it is often old meters that give the impression of water being lost.
"And you also have to figure in water use for firefighters and cleaning in that number," he said, adding that the district will take a close look at the report.
"Conservation is our first preference, too, but there are caveats," he said.
While the report says desalination is not needed, the district says it's in a water deficit now that will force severe rationing during drought conditions, and that a desalination plant would supply the county with a "drought-proof" source of water.
The desalination plant being proposed would be built in phases. The first phase would be construction of a 5-million-gallon-per-day facility, with the ability to expand to 15 million gallons per day.
The desalination plant would take San Rafael Bay water and subject it to various forms of treatment to produce drinkable water through reverse osmosis technology.
The plant would be situated on MMWD-owned land near Pelican Way in San Rafael. Bay water would be piped from an intake near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The plant could be operational by 2014.
- Food & Water Watch: www.foodandwaterwatch.org/marin
Contact Mark Prado via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org