Category: Water Conservation

Limited Landscape Watering Allowed Starting Wednesday!

First and foremost, THANK YOU for following the previously issued restrictions and helping to conserve. You’ve done an amazing job!

Because of your efforts we’re able to allow for
some landscape watering starting this coming week.

A huge thank you also to Kris Hartnett, one of our directors; past-president, Steve Martin; and Buck McLelland, our operator, for their efforts in keeping things flowing. Be sure to say thanks or buy them a beer when you see ’em!

Landsape watering guidelines. Note that the plan recognizes full weeks only, that it resets each new calendar month and there is NO watering allowed other than weeks 1-4.

For a copy of these guidelines, a better understanding of the details behind this change, and other information, like contact numbers for questions, please go to our Important Documents page and download a copy of our Fire Related Mandatory Conservation Plan (under “Notices and Forms”).

Copies of the plan are also available at the Markleeville Post Office.

Stay safe, stay aware and keep conserving!

Thank you,

Your MWC Team

Ps. Big kudos and thanks to those Members who joined us yesterday at our Board Meeting. Your interest and participation is MUCH APPRECIATED!

The Boil Water Notice Has Been Lifted!

As of approximately 3:30 p.m. today the boil water notice was lifted.

Tests of our water came back negative so there is no longer a need to boil water before use if you live in any area serviced by MWC.

Please remember to conserve – see our previous post for more information on water-use restrictions.

Water-Use Restrictions in Effect Due to the Tamarack Fire

Due to the fire we are severely restricted in the amount of water we can produce daily. We can currently reliably produce approximately 35,000 gallons of water daily and it must be “spread around” as much as possible. Normal summer months’ daily use is 110,000 to 120,000 gallons.

Because we can provide for only the minimum domestic usage, the following water use restrictions are enacted July 24, 2021 and remain in effect until further notice. 

You may use the water for domestic indoor-use only!

That means:

  • For drinking – Note that Marklee Village is under a boil-water notice. Read this post for more information.
  • For cooking
  • For washing – Please be water-wise when taking a shower or doing laundry
  • To flush toilets – Please flush sparingly.

The following are prohibited uses:

  • Washing structures – even those sprayed with fire-retardant
  • Washing cars or RVs
  • Irrigation/Landscape watering of any kind – this includes automatic sprinklers and drip-irrigation systems
  • Filling pools or outdoor ponds.

When you return home, whether by escort or permanently, turn off automated landscape sprinklers; check all indoor and outdoor fixtures for leaks, and repair any that you may find.

We are doing all we can to restore our system to normal, but due to the fire, we are severely hampered.

We ask for your patience as we, and you, work to get back to some semblance of normal after/during the devastation caused by the fire.

We will communicate changes as conditions improve. Continue to check back here for the latest information.

Thank you,

Your MWC Board of Directors

Automatic Sprinkler System at Your Home or Business? – Please Turn it Off

Hello members!

If you have an automatic sprinkler system we ask that when you have access to your property you turn it off.

This includes battery or generator powered systems.

No outside water use is allowed as we need to replenish our storage tanks.

This is a health and safety issue.

So whether you have a battery operated valve at your hose bibb that turns on your hose or sprinklers, or a generator that is operating while you are evacuated AND that generator is powering your automatic sprinkler system, please call Mary Young at 530-400-1849 and we will get someone to turn either, or both, off.

Thank you and stay safe!

Deeper Reductions in Outdoor Water Use May Be Coming Soon

Hello Markleeville Water Company Members

Thank you for helping get us this far into a summer of record drought!

Stream flows, our main water source, are rapidly declining. This means even deeper reductions in outdoor water use may be coming soon. The MWC Board won’t impose them a day sooner than they’re needed. But on that day, you will find a notice on your front door and the reductions in outdoor water use it calls for will be mandatory. This post is to let you know ahead of time.

Adhering to the existing water conservation guidelines may help delay or prevent additional restrictions.

If imposed, reductions will be mandatory. They will conform to the MWC Bylaws, and penalties for noncompliance will be applied according to the Bylaws.

A letter has been sent to Corporation members along with the July water bill with more information on water use restrictions.  

The current water conservation standards and a copy of the letter can be found on our Important Documents page.

Water – It’s a Serious Subject! Especially this Summer

As you can see from the above image, we’re way below normal this year in terms of snow water equivalent.

You should have recently received our Water Use Rules and Guidelines, as a reminder to conserve, and most importantly as a reminder that we’re all in it together. 

Your Board of Directors has had several conversations about our “water-present,” and future, and continues to discuss the subject and plan accordingly.

Members are encouraged to join the discussion, attend meetings and provide input. Please see our previous post for upcoming meeting dates and times and how you can participate. 

In the meantime, we appreciate your water-conservation help.

It’s up to all of us to do the little things, and be good water stewards!