Water Conservation Action NOW in Fairfax and Beyond
Understand the Imperative to Save Water Today AND Build Resiliency in our Watershed for the Future
Historically low rainfalls combined with hot weather means that we are experiencing historic drought conditions that cannot be ignored. The threat has been raised from “severe” to “EXCEPTIONAL”!
As of the end of August, our reservoirs which supply about 75% of Marin’s water, are at 38% of capacity. The other 25% would normally come from Sonoma but that is NOT happening this year. That’s bad. (see the most recent level here).
Hopefully it will rain this Winter but the County will need about 250% of a typical rain year to bring our supplies to a “normal” level. That is unlikely to happen.
Plus, we know that days are hotter and Climate Change is our new reality…
Investing in low-water and xeriscape gardens, water efficient appliances, greywater and rain barrel systems, and learning about conserving water as a way of life will ONLY help make our communities more resilient in the face of climate change and anticipated frequent droughts and low water years.
A note on water conservation and equity. The wealthy among us might think that because they can afford to pay for the water, that it’s okay to use it. But water equity and justice demands that every community member participate in the effort to use less water to ensure our limited and precious water resources are available to sustain our ecosystem and community.
Understand your Water Use
Get a copy of your Marin Water bill to see a high level view of the average gallons/day per your household. To get it online, go to marinwater.org and go to “Pay my Bill“. You will need your user name and password, or customer number to set up a new online account.
What is your household water use in Average Gal/Day?
The target?
- Per person indoor use: 35 gallons/day
- Per household AVERAGE outdoor use: 35 gallons/day
TARGET WATER USE GOALS PER HOUSEHOLD (AVERAGE GALLONS/DAY)
| Household Size | Indoor Use Only | With Outdoor Use/Irrigation |
| 1 | 35 | 70 |
| 2 | 70 | 105 |
| 3 | 105 | 140 |
| 4 | 140 | 175 |
Get a Flume Water Meter today for $50 (75% off list price) through Marin Water. It is easy to install, identifies water use in surprising ways, confirms any leaks, AND shows water use by the minute, hour and day so you can see how much water any activity is using, and is very cool!!!
Know where your water goes and where to set priorities. (See Best List Yet for More Resources for Action)
- See the Water Conservation Tips and Resources Page, but for example:
- For homes with landscaping, about 50% of water use is typically used for landscaping and other outside uses. So turf removal and low-water landscaping are are critical focal points for action. See more landscaping actions.
- Inside, toilet flushing is the biggest water user. Actions: If it’s yellow, let it mellow. Use greywater and collected bucket water to flush toilets. Consider getting a 1.28 gallon toilet.
- Shockingly, inside leaks, mostly in toilets, can account for up to 15-18% of water use. Actions: Use a simple toilet leak test. If you have a leaky faucet or other appliance, don’t ignore it –call a plumber.
- Washing machines use about 22% of a household’s water. Actions: Clearly, ONLY run full loads. And even consider wearing an item a couple of times before washing. Buy an efficient washing machine and get a rebate!
Neighbors helping neighbors
Water Conservation Tips
see the BEST LIST YET OF WATER CONSERVATION TIPS!!!