Since 1912, the Marin Municipal Water District has provided high-quality, locally sourced water at the lowest possible rates for our customers, while protecting the crown jewel of Marin – Mt. Tam.
Water is a vital, precious resource, essential to the health of our community, environment, economy and safety. We continually invest in our water infrastructure to ensure the health of our community and watershed.
Our Commitment to Deliver High-quality, Reliable Water
We are committed to efficiently providing high-quality, reliable water service at the lowest possible rates for our customers, while protecting the water resources and public health of our community. We consistently invest in our water infrastructure to ensure our system remains in a state of good repair, which helps to ensure the delivery of high quality water.
Where Does Our Water Come From?
We manage a complex distribution system of reservoirs, tanks, pumps and pipelines to deliver water to our customers’ taps. About 75% of our drinking water comes from rainwater captured on 21,500 acres of protected watershed in seven reservoirs on Mt. Tamalpais and in west Marin. The rest is imported from the Russian River in Sonoma County. Water from these sources is treated and tested at one of our three drinking water treatment plants to ensure the highest quality. The water then travels through almost 900 miles of underground pipelines to homes and business throughout our service area. Because of Marin’s hilly terrain, about 90 % of the water must be pumped at least once before it reaches the tap; some water is pumped up to six times. We also manage a separate treatment and distribution system for recycled water. With parts of our system dating back more than 100 years, we are continually replacing pipeline and upgrading facilities to ensure reliable water for drinking and firefighting.
Our skilled workforce operates our water system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Providing safe, reliable water requires a broad range of expertise, from the engineers who plan and design our system, to the chemists who test for water quality, the service crews who maintain the pipelines, the biologists who ensure the health of our watershed, and many others. Even with all that goes into the treatment and delivery of your drinking water, it still costs less than a penny per gallon.