The Mendocino County Planning Commission meeting held on December 5, 2024, focused on addressing critical water supply issues faced by the community, particularly in light of recent severe droughts. The meeting highlighted the collaborative efforts between the Mendocino City Community Services District (MCCSD) and the Mendocino Unified School District (MUSD) to secure funding for an emergency water supply system.

The discussion began with an overview of the impact of California's worst drought on record, which left many wells in Mendocino dry. This situation forced residents and businesses to rely on hauled water from outside the village. In response, MCCSD pursued state funding to develop a sustainable emergency water supply that would serve the village during drought periods when water from other municipal sources, such as Fort Bragg, was unavailable.

MUSD and MCCSD identified a unique opportunity to combine their resources and grant funding to improve the water system for the school district while simultaneously providing a reliable emergency water supply for the community. Together, they secured $11.9 million in state grant funding aimed at enhancing water security for both the school district and the village of Mendocino for future generations.

The meeting also included a visual presentation showing the locations of wells that went dry during the 2020-2021 drought, marked in magenta on a map, alongside those that dried up during the previous drought in 2015, marked in yellow. The data underscored the severity of the water crisis, with over half a million gallons of water being transported to Mendocino from Fort Bragg and Ukiah to meet the community's needs during the last drought.

Additionally, it was noted that in 2021, Fort Bragg ceased selling water to coastal residents with dry wells due to their own water supply limitations. This further emphasized the urgency of developing a sustainable water solution for Mendocino.

The meeting concluded with a strong sense of optimism regarding the partnership between MUSD and MCCSD, which aims to secure a stable water future for the community amidst ongoing challenges posed by climate change and drought conditions. The next steps will involve the implementation of the funded projects to ensure water availability for all residents.