With water consumption by its West Marin customers at the lowest level in 40 years, North Marin Water District may soon raise rates by more than the regular increase anticipated for next year. Water use  fell after the drought years of 2020 and 2021, when conservation ordinances were enacted, and it has yet to bounce back, said Tony Williams, general manager of the district, which serves Point Reyes Station, Olema and Inverness Park along with its Novato customers. It is not yet clear whether water consumption will rebound or by how much, although it typically increases during the summer, when gardens are in bloom and vacationers flock to the seashore and fill houses that are vacant during winter. Consumption in West Marin is now 19 percent lower than it has been over the previous five years, according to the district’s latest five-year financial plan. Meanwhile, the district has significant capital improvements planned, and inflation has driven up the projected costs of implementing them. When Caltrans replaces the Green Bridge, the district will have to temporarily move a pipeline attached to it and then move it back when the new bridge is complete. The district will also temporarily relocate a second pipeline when the county replaces a culvert beneath Sir Francis Drake Boulevard that crosses Olema Creek. A redwood tank in Inverness Park will need to be replaced, and the treatment plant near the Coast Guard housing in Point Reyes Station also needs an upgrade. The district generally conducts a rate study every five years, outlining its revenue estimates, anticipated capital expenses and potential rate increases. The most recent one called for a 6 percent increase next year. If approved by the board after a public hearing on June 18, the 6 percent increase will take effect on July 1. If consumption does not bounce back, larger increases may be needed in coming years, according to the financial forecast district staff shared with the board last month. The next five-year review was scheduled for 2025, but staff asked the board to conduct it one year earlier due to the changing economic forecasts.