Marin Water Issues New Restrictions

MARIN COUNTY, CA — A new Marin ordinance will ban water use for new or rehabilitated decorative lawns, but the new restriction only applies to some business or city landscapes.

The ordinance, which goes into effect April 15, will only involve lawns that requires a plan review by the Marin Municipal Water District.

The ordinance prohibits the use of MMWD water for irrigating any new ornamental lawn in commercial and municipal landscapes.

MMWD serves around 190,000 residents, mostly in southern and central Marin.

Landscapes that require a review include new construction with areas of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated landscapes that are 1,000 square feet or more in size, regulators said.

The ordinance does not apply to residential or recreational uses.

Marin Water officials are trying to discourage the creation of more purely decorative grass in street medians and in business complexes.

“The board’s decision is intended to discourage new installations of purely decorative grass around business complexes and in street medians by restricting use of the District’s potable and recycled water supplies for grass care and maintenance,” the agency said in a statement.

“It is the District’s first step in tackling a broader interest in review of decorative lawns across the service area as a possible means of further longer-term water savings.”

— Bay City News contributed to this report