Montecito And Goleta Buy Surplus State Water From Santa Maria

Some coastal communities aren’t planning for a rainy day, they are planning for the drought to continue.

Montecito just bought $1.2 million worth of state water from Santa Maria.

Montecito Water Board director Charles Newman said customers in Montecito and Summerland will have enough water to last them until March of 2020.

“We are looking for additional water purchases beyond that so people don’t have to worry about future drought, said Newman.

Goleta water district made a similar, but smaller purchase.

Goleta bought 600,000 dollars worth of water in a separate deal approved by the city of Santa Maria.

Goleta Water District supply and conservation manager Ryan Drake said, “As we first entered the drought we were not purchasing water, as it worsened and worsened we looked at new sources of supply, especially local sources of supply, they are less energy intensive, and this opportunity presented itself and we jumped on it .”

Both communities are paying $600 dollars per acre foot.

He said an acre foot would cover about 90 percent of a football field and would supply at least two families per year.

The water purchases will be transported via a coastal aqueduct or pipeline from San Luis to Lake Cachuma and onto San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County.

Water customers are still urged to conserve.