No water restrictions are currently in effect. 

It is always important to avoid water waste and prepare for the next drought. Find out more about resources to conserve water at www.smartlivinghealdsburg.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

What steps is the City of Healdsburg taking to diversify our water supply and make us more resilient in future droughts and changes to water sources, such as the decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project?

Healdsburg currently gets about 80% of our water supply from the upper Russian River, making us particularly vulnerable to supply shortages in Lake Mendocino. Approximately 20% of the City’s water supply is from Dry Creek derived from Lake Sonoma. With that in mind we have been working on the following projects:

Dry Creek Wellfield Restoration (Estimated Cost: approx. $1.5 million)

With the loss of the Potter Valley Project and transfers of Eel River water into the Russian River watershed, the Russian River will continue to be an unreliable source of water. To build resilience in the City’s water supply, especially during future droughts, recent rate increases will fund the restoration of the Dry Creek Wellfield. This project is slated for fiscal year 2028-2029.

• This restoration work will increase the current pumping capacity allowing the City to source more water from Dry Creek and Lake Sonoma, rather than being largely reliant on the upper Russian River. 
• With Lake Sonoma’s multi-year storage, water pumped from Dry Creek Wellfield will be more reliable than the upper Russian River.
• Healdsburg’s existing agreement with Sonoma Water for backup supply of water from Lake Sonoma is due for renewal at the end of 2025. Initial discussions for the renewal have included the City’s desire to contract for more backup water from Lake Sonoma. 

Aquifer Storage and Recovery Wells (Estimated Cost: approx. $12 million)

Aquifer storage and recovery wells would allow the City to augment its surface water supplies with groundwater in a sustainable manner. The locations considered for the ASR wells are the Community Center, Badger Park, and the former Dry Creek wells site on West North Street.

• This process increases water supply by approximately 60 million gallons per year, or approximately 9% of current demand.
• The City received FEMA funding selection for the Phase 1 - Exploration Work and deferred funding for the completion of the ASR wells. The Phase 1 portion of the project is estimated to cost approximately $2 million, with FEMA funding for up to $1.5 million (70%). 
  • However, in April 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (which oversees FEMA) cancelled the FEMA grant. Consequently, the City is seeking other sources of funding at this time.
  • The exploration wells can only be constructed during dry weather and will need field work to occur in summer, once a secure funding source has been identified.
• Since this is an expensive undertaking, the City is seeking external funding, such as grants from FEMA and the State. The project is expected to take approximately 2 to 3 years to complete once funded.

Municipal Recycled Water Pipeline (Estimated Cost: approx. $16 million)

The City received a grant award of $7.1 million from the State of California to fund approximately half of the recycled water pipeline infrastructure planned. Construction on the funded portion of the project was completed in 2025. 

• The funded pipeline project will serve recycled water to City parks, golf course, cemetery, some public schools facilities, and an in-town recycled water kiosk to offset demand of potable water by approximately 27 million gallons per year, or about 4% of current annual demand and about 11% of demand in the dry summer months.
• The City has applied for another State grant ($8.5 million), which would offset an additional approximately 8 million gallons of potable water usage per year. This would increase the total potable water offset to approximately 35 million gallons per year, or about 5% of current demand.  We are still awaiting a response to our application.
• The pipeline projects will add approximately 2 miles (completed) and 2.7 miles (awaiting funding) to our recycled water distribution network. 
• Recycled water deliveries for municipal turf areas reduce demand of potable water sourced from the surface water rights and increase water available for storage at Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma.
• View the project webpage for updates.

Dry Creek Water Right Amendment (Estimated Cost: approx. $1 million)

The City currently derives approximately 80% of its water from surface rights on the Russian River and 20% from Dry Creek. However, the water supply volume for the Russian River (Lake Mendocino) is approximately 70,000 acre-feet, while the water supply volume for Dry Creek (Lake Sonoma) is approximately 240,000 acre-feet. Access to a year-round right at Dry Creek would help to improve winter water supplies as the well fields along the Russian River need to be shut down for maintenance.

• The current water right limits the City to 1 cubic foot per second (about 450 gallons per minute) from April through October. The water right revision would allow 2.6 cubic feet per second (about 1,170 gallons per minute) year-round. The State is in the process of reviewing the City’s water right amendment. The time frame for the State to complete the review has not been established and the timeline from the Dry Creek Water Right Amendment is unclear at this time.
• Infrastructure at the Dry Creek Water Treatment Plant will need to be improved to accommodate the change in flow. The improvements are under design. The funding source for the improvements has not been established.

Sonoma Water Agency Purchased Water Agreement

This agreement allows the City to purchase water from Sonoma Water, sourced from Lake Mendocino or Lake Sonoma, when City water rights are not available. The City is working to increase the limits on the volume of water to provide a source of water sufficient for the highest-use months, should supply from any of our existing water rights be diminished. A draft of the agreement is expected by October 2025.

What resources are available to help save water and prepare for the next drought?

Here are some ways to help you save water and become more resilient : 

• Replace your existing lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape that uses less water. Rebates of $1.00 per square foot are available.
• Replace your appliances with more efficient models. Rebates of up to $75 for front-loading Energy Star® Most Efficient clothes washers, $110 for WaterSense toilets with 0.8 gallons per flush or less, and $100 for WaterSense irrigation controllers.
• Set up a large rainwater capture system to capture rain and use later in the summer for your outdoor plants.
• FREE: Check out the Do-It-Yourself Home Energy and Water Savings Toolkit from the Library.

Find out more about rebates at www.smartlivinghealdsburg.org. 

Healdsburg is also part of the Sonoma Marin Saving Water Partnership, which has many great programs and resources available here. 

What are the state-wide water restrictions? 

The State Water Board's emergency prohibitions on wasteful water uses and decorative grass watering ban have expired. Details on the Water Conservation Emergency Regulations are available here. 

In October 2023, the Governor approved Assembly Bill 1572, which prohibits "the use of potable water for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, other than a cemetery, and on properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities". The new regulation has a phased approach beginning in 2027, and is required regardless of drought conditions. The bill text is available here and more information is detailed in this letter that was sent to Healdsburg businesses that may be affected by the state regulation.

The City is also responsible for complying with the State's Making Water Conservation a Way of Life rulemaking, which requires all urban water providers in California to stay within certain water objectives and implement best management practices for water conservation.

Helpful everyday water conservation practices to avoid water waste include:

• Turn off decorative water fountains
• Turn off/pause your irrigation system when it is raining and for two days after rain
• Use an automatic shutoff nozzle on your water hose
• Use a broom, not water, to clean sidewalks and driveways
• Give trees just what they need, avoid overwatering

Did water rates change recently?

Water and wastewater rates are established based on multiple factors and analysis from a ‘cost-of-service’ rate study. Water rates through 2027 were approved in the summer of 2024 and include a tiered structure for residential water customers, as well as a distinct rate for commercial irrigation meters. For residential customers, the first water tier should cover the typical indoor water consumption of the average household. For residential customers who exceed the first tier, likely in the summer due to high irrigation, they will be charged the tier 2 and tier 3 rates for their usage within those respective tiers. More information about water rates and the cost-of-service study is available at www.healdsburg.gov/rates.

Is recycled water still available? 

Yes! Recycled water is available for self-haul or you have the option to contract directly with a water hauler. More information is available here. 

The delivery costs are set by the water haulers and are for filling the tanker and driving to the delivery site; recycled water is provided by the City at the fill stations at no cost. Since most tankers hold at least 2,000 gallons, close by neighbors could coordinate to share water from one truck and split the costs of the delivery.

State Water Code section 13551 discourages the use of potable water for non-potable uses when recycled water is available. The City highly encourages the continued use of recycled water for street cleaning and construction site preparation purposes.

How does Healdsburg compare to other cities when it comes to water efficiency?

Historically, Healdsburg used about 50% more water per capita than other cities in the County prior to the 2021 drought. While consumption was higher than other cities in the region before the drought, Healdsburg residents made substantial reductions in their water usage during the drought. We expect many of these new behaviors and increased efficiency will continue into the future as well! The Pacific Institute has put together a tool to look at water consumption in different cities over time here, and monthly water reporting results are available on the State Water Board's website here.

What share of our water usage comes from residential and commercial uses?

Residential water usage makes up about 60% of annual water consumption and Commercial water usage makes up about 30%. Other small water usage includes fire hydrants, water loss in the system, and wholesale sales to Fitch Mountain.

How is the City managing water supply with new building and development? Does the City have a plan for future water supply and demand? 

The City of Healdsburg’s prudent and cost-effective long-term water supply planning means that occurrences of single and multiple dry years do not automatically mean water supply capacity is limited for planned development. The current Water Shortage Contingency Plan available here outlines how the city will respond to a reduction in water supply. Restrictions on new development can be activated if the city experiences a water shortage of 50% or greater. In Stage 5 water restrictions, new construction must offset new demand by a ratio of one to one prior to receiving a temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy. In Stage 6 (the highest stage), new construction must offset new demand by a ratio of two to one prior to receiving a temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy. Connection of affordable housing is exempt from these requirements. Healdsburg has also adopted policies and programs to ensure new development is built to higher efficiency standards than in the past, such as the latest State building code requirements and the Water Efficient Landscape ordinance.

Healdsburg also prepares a long-range water supply plan every five years, which takes into account population, water supply, changing conditions, drought risk, drought response, and more. The most recent plan is the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) available here. Staff will work on an updated plan later in 2025, which will have much opportunity for community input. 

An important factor to consider in planning is ensuring there is enough housing for everyone to live affordably. The State has allocated each city a number of housing units they are required to create to meet increasing housing demand, known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Through the Urban Water Management Plan, Water Shortage Contingency Plan, and planned water supply projects, the City is able to manage water supply for existing and new developments.

Where can I find updates on Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma’s water supplies?

• Sonoma Water provides weekly updates on Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma. View the current water supply levels here. 
• California Water Watch also provides updates on the Russian River Watershed here.
• The U.S. Drought Monitor provides drought condition information for counties across the United States.