Montecito Water District’s Board of Directors has approved a non-binding Letter of Intent to sell approximately 40% of the District’s State Water contract interests. The MWD will keep nearly 60% of its State Water Contract interests, or approximately 1,900 acre-feet of annual water allocation, and the capacity to convey, store, and transfer water, if the […]
The Montecito Sanitary District has unanimously approved its first sewer rate adjustment in seven years, adopting a phased five-year plan designed to address aging infrastructure and ensure long-term system reliability. The decision followed a public hearing on June 10 and was informed by the MSD’s first comprehensive sewer rate study in more than a decade. […]
Recently Trending
More from Montecito
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 […]
The Montecito Water District has finally received long-delayed federal disaster funds for storm damage repairs, thanks to assistance from Assemblymember Gregg Hart. The reimbursement closes a difficult two-year chapter that began when the January 9, 2023, federally declared storm devastated the area’s critical water infrastructure. Heavy rains and debris flows in the backcountry severed the […]
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 […]
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 […]
Read 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 […]
