Water Woes Lead To Lawsuit

An agreement has not been reached in a battler over water.

Goleta Water District filed the lawsuit against Slippery Rock Ranch, LLC in Feb., 2015.

Attorneys appeared in court on Wednesday.

Neighbors also went to court holding signs that read “Don’t steal our water,” and “!!!!Stop!!!! Slipper Slope water theft.”

Emmy winning Law & Order creator Dick Wolf owns the ranch and property in Montecito where he is accused of selling water from the ranch off N. La Patera Ln.

Wolf could not be reached for comment in time for this report, but in the past the attorney repesenting the ranch has called the case frivolous.

The Goleta Water District’s water supply and conservation manager disagrees.

Ryan Drake said,” If you just have a well you only have the right to use that water on your property for the benefit of the user. If you are seeking to use it off property only La Cumbra Mutual Water District and Goleta Water District have that right.”

Longtime locals said they’ve been worried about water before.

Gene Terry lives at the top of West Camino Cielo and said he remembers the drought in the 1990s. He said there is less water now and wonders if a new well will be needed for homes above the ranch.

This water fight will be played out in court September 15th