In order to deliver drinking water to our customers’ taps, MMWD maintains seven reservoirs, three treatment plants, 94 pump stations, 125 storage tanks, 900 miles of pipeline and 21,600 acres of watershed land. Much of this water infrastructure is aging: Nearly 40% of our pipelines have been in service 50 years or longer. We are continually replacing and upgrading pipes and facilities to ensure we can continue to provide safe, reliable water.
Over the past ten years, MMWD has invested more than $200 million through our Capital Improvements Program, including $22.8 million in the most recent fiscal year (July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017). Improvements completed this past year include:
- Replacement of 41,000 feet (nearly eight miles) of aging, leak-prone water main pipeline
- Replacement of a large, failed culvert at Jewell Creek and installation of a fish passage
- Replacement of two redwood storage tanks
- Replacement of one pump station
- Rehabilitation of 200 corrosion test stations
- Replacement of 122 water services
We also made significant headway on a $9 million seismic upgrade to the water filters at San Geronimo and Bon Tempe Treatment Plants, a project to be completed this year. In the next two fiscal years, we plan to invest an additional $66.5 million to preserve the health of our water system and watershed. To learn more about recent projects throughout our service area, visit:
marinwater.org/ConstructionUpdates
Aerial photos by MMWD Principal Engineer Jeff Ohmart show two of several capital projects now under way. Left: The Elm Avenue Pipeline Replacement Project is installing 6,650 feet of new water main piping (including 40 feet shown here) to replace 80- to 90-year-old pipe in Larkspur and Corte Madera. Right: At Mariner Highlands, a more seismically sound, bolted steel tank will replace the old redwood tank.