District Lifeline Program
Are you aware of the District’s Lifeline Program designed to provide financial assistance to low income families? Qualified applicants of the program receive a 30% discount on their monthly water usage charge and a waiver of their monthly basic wastewater service charge (currently $39.65/month), but monthly water consumption must remain below the first billing tier limit of 3,000 gallons per month. If monthly water usage exceeds this threshold, the monthly basic wastewater service charge will be applied, and normal billing rates will be applied to the entirety of that month’s water usage.
Approval is valid for one fiscal year and all participants are required to reapply annually by July 1. Denial of an application may be appealed to the District’s Board of Directors.
To qualify for this program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- The account to which the discount is applied must be in the same name as the applicant; and
- Applicant must be a full-time resident at the Stinson Beach address indicated and it must be applicant’s sole residence; and
- Applicant cannot be claimed as a dependent on another’s tax return; and
- Total household annual gross income, as verified by the most recent federal and state income tax filings, cannot exceed the most recent income limits for “Very Low Income” for Marin County as published annually by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, Division of Housing Policy Development.
Participants in the program may also be eligible for financial assistance for the installation of a backflow prevention device. Please contact us for more information.
To apply for the program, applicants must submit one completed application and attach copies of the most recent Federal income tax returns for all applicable members of the household.
To request an application, please visit the District office or email us at: info@stinsonwater.org
OWTS Diversion Valves
When your onsite wastewater treatment system (“OWTS”) is inspected every year, have you noticed the “Reminder to switch your diversion valve every six (6) months” recommendation? This is an important part of your regular OWTS maintence needed to ensure your system operates efficiently to prolong its longevity.
The District’s Title IV – Onsite Wastewater Management Code (“Code”) requires that all systems have two dispersal fields, each sized to treat the full design flow designated on your Discharge Permit. The purpose of a diversion valve is to redirect effluent from your septic tank/pretreatment system into one of the two dispersal fields for further treatment and discharge.
Each of your dispersal fields is an important part of the septic treatment process. They are designed to allow naturally-occuring bacteria in the dispersal field bed to “eat” the organics present in your septic tank/pretreatement system effluent. The result is a significant reduction in both organic and nutrient load discharged into the ground.
If your septic tank/pretreatement system effluent is continuously fed into only one dispersal field, these bacteria will continue to propogate into a biofilm (aka slime) that could potentially end up clogging the dispersal field piping, cause a backup, and result in surfacing effluent. Switching flow between diversion fields every six months allows the previously active field to “rest” while the other is in service to help prevent biofilm clogging.
Your diversion valve is located between your septic tank and your dispersal field(s), and will be in either a rectangular or circular box with a fiberglass lid. In older systems, the lid may be labeled “IRRIGATION”. For new systems, the box lid will be labeled “SEPTIC” or “SEWER”. If you are unsure where your diversion valve is located, please stop by the office and we will review your system drawings with you. Our wastewater inspector can also show you the location of your diversion valve during your annual inspection.
Bulky Item Pick Up
As a reminder, all Stinson Beach properties are eligible for one FREE bulky item pick-up per year from Recology.
To schedule a pick-up, contact Recology directly at (800) 243-0291, or by email at recologysonomamarin@recology.com.
To learn more, please visit: www.recology.com/stinsonbeach (under the “Bulky Items” tab)
Document Request
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