Tag archives: water

At their monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Montecito Water District’s Board of Directors will consider entering into a non-binding Letter of Intent concerning the future sale of a portion of the District’s State Water contract interests. The potential purchase by Solstra Communities California LLC (Solstra) would be for the planned Solomon Hills development […]

Montecito has two new temporary firefighter housing sites for use during periods of elevated fire risk and other significant weather events thanks to a strong partnership between the Montecito Fire Department and Montecito Water District. Strategically located on the east and west ends of Montecito Fire’s service area, these sites will provide enhanced public safety […]

Hullo. I’m the local columnist whose carefully crafted words are the last thing your drowsy cockatiel sees every evening as he nods off on his little trapeze or whatever. My name is Jeff Wing, but since around third grade people have mis-addressed me as Jack Wayne, so feel free. Now, I don’t want to sound […]

Construction is underway on the first of eight of the Montecito Water District’s existing water storage reservoirs which are slated for seismic retrofit and/or replacement to reduce vulnerability to potential future disasters such as earthquakes. Updates began December 2025 on Terminal Reservoir, originally completed in 1952. Terminal’s needed improvements include extensive reinforcement and replacement of […]

Fire protection is a top priority for Montecito Water District (MWD) as part of its commitment to supplying water to meet this community’s needs every day. MWD remains ready and prepared to provide water for fighting fires across Montecito and Summerland and is focused on ongoing projects to improve resilience.  – Water Supply is Abundant […]

Collaborative, data-focused work is at the center of the Montecito Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s (Montecito GSA) activities and their Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Public or private wells that provide direct access to the groundwater supply can be used to collect needed data. In addition to public wells owned by Montecito Water District, more than 50 private wells […]

Set to begin this fall is the first in a series of reservoir retrofits to address seismic resilience. This important project has been years in the making and will benefit from exclusive federal grant funding that provides 30% principal forgiveness and zero interest loans. The Montecito Water District (MWD) is excited about this opportunity to […]

The Montecito Association Land Use Committee (LUC) May meeting was held at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom. The meeting was called to order by LUC Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson.  Attendees were the LUC members; MA Executive Director Houghton Hyatt; General Manager Montecito Water District (MWD) Nick Turner,and his team – Groundwater Specialist […]

Groundwater is an important water source for many local property owners and all Montecito Water District customers. Wells are relied upon for local residential, commercial, and agricultural use, particularly during periods of drought. It’s the job of the Montecito Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Montecito GSA) to ensure that groundwater remains a viable water source […]

Our thoughts are with all those impacted by the devastating Los Angeles County Wildfires, and we welcome those who have now joined our community. In light of current dry conditions and ongoing concerns, Montecito Water District would like to reassure the public of its preparedness and commitment to providing adequate water supply for the community. […]

The District treats and tests water to make sure that it is lead-free when it leaves the treatment facility to travel through water mains. All pipelines that carry water play an important role in the quality of the water that arrives at the tap. A comprehensive survey of the District’s pipes completed in 2018 detected […]

Here on the central coast, November is traditionally an ideal time to plant native and drought resilient plants. Cooler temperatures, short, bright days, and a possibility of rain create the right conditions for new plantings to spread their roots through winter and be poised for growth come spring. A cozy blanket of mulch may also […]

This political season is sufficiently fraught that your fraidy-cat columnist is going to steer well clear of the melee and write about something we can all agree on. I’m talking of course about the inarguable virtues of Communism. Ha Ha Ha. Kidding.  As has been lightly touched upon in endless cocktail party conversations (and more […]

Did you know that water has its own calendar? The current Water Year comes to a close on September 30, and Water Year 2025 will begin. While there is no crystal ball to indicate what it will bring, this is a timely opportunity to share highlights from Montecito Water District’s quarterly water supply update which […]

Ten years ago, Montecito was in a water crisis – we were literally about to run out of water. Forced to take action, the Water District rationed water supply to customers, imposed extreme penalties of $45 per 100 acre-feet for overuse, threatened flow restrictors and severe fines, and totally relied on purchasing supplemental supplies of […]

Reservoirs are full, hillsides are green, and gardens are glorious all around town. So why are we still talking about water use efficiency? Well, if history is any predictor, we know the next drought is coming. What we don’t know is when, or for how long. But the District plans to be ready and has […]

Providing high quality water is a vital part of Montecito Water District’s responsibility and commitment to customer service. Water delivered throughout the District is continuously treated and tested to ensure that it meets or exceeds federal and state water quality standards in compliance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, […]

Extraordinary inflation and opportunities to improve resiliency were key discussion points in Montecito Water District’s Special Board Meeting this week. Directors reviewed a preliminary analysis with Raftelis Financial Consultants in anticipation of adjusting water rates for customers later this year. Rates are revisited every three to five years, and are required to be based on […]

At this month’s Montecito Association Board of Directors meeting, President Megan Orloff announced the Association’s new Executive Director: Houghton Hyatt, who served on the MA Board of Directors for six years, and has helped with countless community events. We’ll have more with Hyatt and her ideas for the MA in a future edition.  During Community […]