As of Feb. 23, the recent rain has allowed Marin’s reservoirs to fill up to about 76 percent of the normal level for this time of year, according to Marin Municipal Water District’s “Drought Watch.”
The drought that California has experienced in the past year has resulted in Gov. Jerry Brown mandating that California cut water usage by 20 percent, and the Marin Municipal Water District asked Marin County in particular for a voluntary cut 25 percent of water usage.
On Jan. 16, Tony Catrino, Director of Maintenance & Operations for the Tam District, sent out an email to the staff informing them of various ways that the school can cut down on water usage.
In an email interview, Catrino said that he asked the staff to take part in the school’s conservation efforts on a day-to-day basis. He further discussed with the custodial staff appropriate changes that can conserve water in the school.
“We intend to reduce our water to the limits that our landscapes and fields can bare without failing,” Catrino.
Although the school doesn’t have a specific percentage goal set for water conservation, they are trying to become as efficient as possible with their water usage.
Catrino further described the changes that have been made.
“We have reduced days of field watering, reduced the minutes [of] each irrigation station, and stopped the watering of established ornamental planting areas,” Catrino said.
The school is reducing the field irrigation from three days to one day per week, reducing the time for each station from twenty minutes to ten minutes, and shutting off established landscaping completely, according to Catrino.
