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 […]
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 […]
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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 […]
Water-efficient residential gardens are beautiful, and earlier this month, Montecito residents John and Teri Keating were awarded the grand prize winner for their native garden. The 2022 WaterWise Garden Recognition Contest launched this spring to recognize beautiful, water-efficient residential gardens throughout Santa Barbara County. The Santa Barbara County Water Agency and participating local water providers […]
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In an effort to get an urgent and important message to the Montecito community, Montecito Water District (MWD) installed a road sign last week at the triangle on Olive Mill Road and Hot Springs with the rotating message: “Extreme Drought, Reduce Irrigation.” The goal is to get customers’ attention so that they will reduce water […]
Montecito is home to an array of birds, vibrant native plants, and rolling green lawns, all dependent on one resource: water. Recently, the question of water reuse has circulated throughout the community. Should Montecito create systems for non-potable water reuse? Potable reuse? Implementing these systems is prudent but will be costly and take time. The […]
At a board meeting last week, the Montecito Water District (MWD) Board of Directors adopted an updated drought ordinance after regulations were put forth by the State of California. This new drought ordinance (Ordinance 97) replaces Ordinance 96, which includes the District’s current water conservation requirements. Ordinance 96 conservation requirements are still in effect, and […]
Things are heating up on the drought front in California. In July 2021, Governor Newsom issued a drought emergency and asked for voluntary water use reductions of 15%. It didn’t happen. At the end of March 2022, Newsom issued an executive order calling on local water agencies to escalate their response to the ongoing drought. […]
Last week we outlined Montecito Water District’s (MWD) Strategic Plan, which includes collaboration with Montecito Sanitary District (MSD) to bring recycled water to Montecito, as well as a possible merger between the two special districts. MWD and MSD Planning Committees met jointly last month for updates on two collaborative projects that are being co-funded by […]
