Montecito Water District Collects “Rain Check” with Hart’s Help

The extreme winter storm that hit locally on January 9, 2023 was a federally declared disaster. While significant impacts  made headlines around Santa Barbara County and the State, heavy rains caused devastation in remote areas that went  largely unseen.

Few were aware that debris flows in the backcountry severed the water pipeline from Jameson Lake.  Record-setting precipitation rerouted a creek, eroded large swaths of earth, and exposed the main pipeline which was  then hit by debris and rocks, rupturing the pipe in several areas. Simultaneously, mudslides covered roads and plugged  culverts, making access extremely difficult.  

Montecito Water District provides potable water to approximately 13,000 people throughout Montecito, Summerland,  and parts of Carpinteria. Emergency work to restore connection to this primary water source began immediately, while  the District relied on other water supplies to meet customer needs.

Repairing approximately 600 feet of 18-inch steel  pipeline in a hard-to-reach area took about six months and cost more than 5 million dollars. The District paid all  expenses up front, spending approximately 25% of the District’s annual revenue, nearly the full amount typically  budgeted for capital projects in a year. 

“The District applied for federal disaster funding and the project was approved,” said Adam Kanold, Engineering  Manager and Assistant General Manager for Montecito Water District. “All the paperwork was on time, in order, and  we kept hearing that everything was moving—but unlike past experiences the checks just weren’t coming in. Going  into September 2025 the District was still waiting for money spent on repairs two years prior.”  

While the District waited for repayment, all planned capital improvement projects were put on hold. Much of the  District’s infrastructure is nearly 100 years old, and projects are carefully prioritized through its Asset Management Plan  based on considerations such as risk of failure.

The ongoing wait for repayment threatened to stretch into a third year,  seriously jeopardizing cash flow and further delaying important projects. These escalating concerns prompted an urgent  request for assistance to Assemblymember Gregg Hart in late summer, 2025.  

Hart’s office responded immediately and successfully facilitated communications with CalOES to expedite the  reimbursement process. Payments due to the District were received just days before the October 1, 2025 federal  government shut down. Significant delayed projects are already resuming, with previously scheduled pipeline  replacements now beginning November 3rd.  

“Repair of Montecito’s Juncal Pipeline was a sizeable and critical project, and for us there is no greater priority than  ensuring reliable potable water for our customers,” said Tobe Plough, Vice President of the Montecito Water District’s  Board of Directors. “Our Water District’s experience through the Thomas Fire Disaster and the January 2023 Storm  demonstrates that recovery efforts take heavy lifting and serious collaboration with our State and Federal  officeholders. The delay in receiving reimbursement for this repair set our capital improvement activities back two  years, as this urgent repair constituted 25% of our annual budget. Our community has been through a lot of  challenges, and we are deeply appreciative of the assistance from Assemblymember Hart’s office. These long-awaited  disaster funds are essential to repairing and maintaining a highly reliable water supply for the local community as well  as building greater operational resilience.”

Montecito Water District’s mission is to provide an adequate and reliable supply of high-quality water to the residents of  Montecito and Summerland, at the most reasonable cost. In carrying out this mission, the District places particular  emphasis on providing outstanding customer service, conducting its operations in an environmentally sensitive manner,  and working cooperatively with other agencies. For additional information visit www.montecitowater.com, like  Montecito Water District on Facebook, and follow on twitter @MontecitoWater.