Spring is in bloom in Sonoma County! | |  |
- Innovative weather forecasting for effective water management
- Groundwater Awareness Week
- Fix a Leak Week: save water, save money!
- Exploring science and water for all ages
- Public tours
- Rain and reservoir update
- Eco-Friendly Garden Tour
- Meetings
- Employment Opportunities
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Innovative weather forecasting for effective water management
Science and innovation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is helping Sonoma Water manage water resources through weather extremes, when there is either too much or too little water. Collaborative partnerships that leverage innovative tools like Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) and the Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information system (AQPI) are transforming management of water supplies in Sonoma County.
In this video, hear from NOAA’s Physical Sciences Laboratory Director Robin Webb and Research Meteorologist Rob Cifelli, along with Sonoma Water’s General Manager Grant Davis, and Principal Engineer Chris Delaney as they describe the science behind the strategy.
| National Groundwater Awareness Week | |
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In Sonoma County, the water to support households, businesses, and agriculture comes from both the Russian River and groundwater. While it is easy to see the water level in our river and reservoirs, groundwater supply is hidden from our view, and too often taken for granted. The agricultural economy and rural households particularly rely on groundwater supplies, drawn from underground aquifers in places such as the Santa Rosa Plain, Petaluma Valley and Sonoma Valley.
Sonoma Water’s staff are engaged in many aspects of local groundwater management, including providing technical and outreach services to our three local groundwater sustainability agencies. We are also working to provide water source alternatives and offsets to groundwater pumping such as delivering recycled water for irrigation from our wastewater treatment facilities and supporting water conservation initiatives to promote water use efficiency.
Groundwater is an essential community resource that everyone can help protect. Sonoma County’s three local groundwater sustainability agencies offer three new community programs that groundwater users can participate in to help with groundwater management: Level Up! Voluntary Well Monitoring, Flow Smart – voluntary flow metering and Well Aware: tools for building groundwater sustainability. Learn more at SonomaCountyGroundwater.org.
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Participate in EPA’s annual Fix a Leak Week: save water, save money | |
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Are you ready to hunt down leaks in your home? Each year, during the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense program’s Fix a Leak Week, individuals across the country take action to stop water waste. This year, Fix a Leak Week will run from March 17 through March 23.
Household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually in the U.S. — and the average home can lose up to 10,000 gallons every year due to common leaks. These leaks often come from simple sources, like worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets and other leaky valves.
Tips for Finding Leaks in Your Home
To help you get started on your leak-hunting mission, here are some useful tips:
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Monitor Water Usage: Review your water usage during a winter month, like January or February, when irrigation systems are turned off.
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Check Your Water Meter: Turn off all water usage for two hours and then check your water meter. If it shows any usage during this period, it’s a clear sign of a leak.
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Toilet Leak Test: To check for toilet leaks, add food coloring to your toilet tank. Wait 10 minutes. If you see any color in the bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak. Common causes are faulty flappers or fill valves — easy fixes for most homeowners. (Be sure to flush after the test to avoid staining the tank!)
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Examine Faucets and Pipes: Inspect faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any moisture or water spots on the outside, as these can indicate surface leaks.
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Check Irrigation Valves: Even when your irrigation system is turned off for the season, water can leak through the valves, which isn’t visible on the surface. Don’t forget to check them!
This year, the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership is encouraging residents to focus on fixing toilet leaks by sponsoring the Dye Tab Challenge, running through March 31. To participate, simply check your toilets for leaks, submit your results, and you could win a $25 Gift Card! It’s an easy and fun way to help save water while earning a reward.
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Consider Water-Saving Upgrades
If you’ve discovered that your toilet is leaking or old, consider replacing it with a more water-efficient model. Be sure to check with your water provider to see if they offer rebates for water-saving toilets or provide information on models that use less water.
For more information on ways to save water and participate in the Fix a Leak Week activities, visit savingwaterpartnership.org.
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Exploring science and water for all ages
Sonoma Water’s education team participated in the 13th annual North Bay Science Discovery Day last weekend. Sonoma Water’s booth featured aquatic macroinvertebrates from the Russian River that are indicators of good water quality.
This event is an annual one-day, free community science festival designed to spark curiosity and wonder in children and families. The festival brings together more than 100 organizations and 10,000 attendees — and is supported by 70 sponsors (including Sonoma Water) and 150 volunteers — for youth to talk with scientists and engineers while exploring more than 150 interactive exhibits, from rockets and beehives, to robots and sharks, catapults and hearts, animation, animals, art and more.
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Join a free Public Tour
Mark your calendar and join one of our Spring 2025 Public Tours. Reservations are required. To sign up visit sonomawater.org/tours. Spanish language tours are also offered, visit our website for details.
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Water distribution tour
Do you know where your water comes from? Join us and visit facilities that divert, pump and treat the water delivered by Sonoma Water to more than 600,000 residents in portions of Sonoma and Marin counties.
- Saturday, March 22, 9 – 11:30 a.m.
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Sanitation tours
Explore one of Sonoma Water’s wastewater treatment facilities, including the lab monitoring millions of live protozoa and microorganisms essential for cleaning and recycling wastewater.
- Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District: Saturday, March 29, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
- Russian River County Sanitation District: Saturday, May 3, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
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Help prevent fatburgs
A fatburg is a large, solid mass of fat, oil and grease (FOG) that clogs sewers resulting in costly blockages and potential overflows. Flushing non-biodegradable items like wipes makes the problem worse. Sonoma Water inspects sewer lines for fatburgs and other sewer line build-up, and provides notice to neighbors when it is detected. Prevent these kinds of costly blockages in your neighborhood, remember to never to send grease and oil down the drain and never flush wipes, even if the package says ‘flushable.’
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Rain and reservoir updates | |
The Eco-Friendly Garden Tour is coming May 10!
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Upcoming Meetings
No meetings scheduled at this time
The Sonoma Water Board normally holds its regular meetings on Tuesdays, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and will be facilitated virtually through Zoom and at Board of Supervisors Chambers (BSC) 575 Administration Drive 102A.
March 18 BSC/Virtual
March 21 BSC/Virtual Special Closed Session
March 25 BSC/Virtual
April 15 BSC/Virtual
April 18 BSC/Virtual Special Closed Session
April 22 BSC/Virtual
April 28 BSC/Virtual Budget Workshops - Department presentations may be heard on any day at the discretion of the Chair.
April 29 BSC/Virtual Budget Workshops - Department presentations may be heard on any day at the discretion of the Chair.
April 30 BSC/Virtual Budget Workshops - Department presentations may be heard on any day at the discretion of the Chair.
Board Agendas:
View upcoming Agenda items
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