The City’s Sustainable Lawn Replacement Rebate provides incentives to help offset the cost of replacing water-thirsty lawns and irrigation with water-wise plants, efficient irrigation, and watershed-wise features. Rebate options available of up to $2/square foot. Max rebate is based on square footage. Projects must be approved in advance.
The City is pleased to announce that the entire Desal Link pipeline will be installed in March, and crews are completing their final inspections of the pipeline. The Transmission Renewal Project planned to be complete in Spring 2024 will refurbish a section of transmission main that will be dedicated to conveying desalinated water up to Cater Water Treatment Plant. The Desal Plant Pump Station Upgrade Project is just beginning construction and will be completed in Summer 2024. When both projects are complete, the Pump Station will push desalinated water from the Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant to the desal link and renewed transmission mains connected to the Cater Water Treatment Plant, providing access to desalinated water for the majority of our service area.
A sewer lateral cleanout provides direct access to your sewer lateral, is typically located in front of homes and buildings, and is topped with a rubber cap. Having an accessible cleanout is important; it allows for maintenance and inspection of your sewer lateral. To ensure your clean out is easily assessable in case of an emergency, it is important that your clean out is free of overgrown grass, plants, dirt, etc. To learn more about sewer lateral maintenance and the typical life expectancy of a sewer lateral, please visit our website.

The January and February storms have significantly improved the City’s water supply situation, eliminating the potential for a supply shortage for at least the next three years. A full Gibraltar Reservoir and Lake Cachuma means the City can primarily rely on its surface water supplies over the next several years to meet community demands. However, in recognition that drought conditions are potentially always right around the corner in California, Santa Barbara is continuing to encourage conservation. We can all continue to make a difference by being as efficient as possible with our water use.
Bristle worms, as the name implies, are long, cylindrical organisms that are covered in hair-like bristles. They commonly have bright pink spots that can cause the El Estero Water Resource Center’s activated sludge to turn a reddish color. The presence of bristle worms can often indicate high nitrate levels because of their sensitivity to ammonia. Click below to learn how bristle worms use their grazing abilities to contribute to an exceptional treatment process at El Estero.
Video Corner
Garden Wise: Water Use Mythbusters
Mission Tunnel: 100+ Years and Still Flowing
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