Tag archives: water
A Non-Scientific View Last week, Montecito Journal’s front-page photo of the Romero debris catch basin filled with tons of rocks, coupled with your words stating Montecito had fared the last major storm “very well,” left me wondering why you are still writing about the installation of several steel nets. If what we have in our […]
A succession of winter storms has dropped four to six inches of intense rainfall on Montecito, and so far, cleaned-out debris basins, combined with wider creek channels, have saved the day. Now is an ideal time to pause and reflect on how you as an individual can help to make the Montecito community a safer […]
Last week many Montecito residents endured evacuations due to a series of several rain storms that hit our area, bringing much needed wet weather to the County. Montecito Water District reports that Thursday’s storm in particular brought significant precipitation over the Santa Ynez River upper watershed, and was seemingly concentrated over Jameson Lake, a key […]
For the last five years, deep sea diver and marine photographer Bob Evans and his wife, Susanne Chess, have been working on a paradigm busting project – a more sustainable means of converting saltwater into fresh water. The project, C+E=DOW desalination, is a new way of looking at the process and is predicted to have […]
Is the drought over for a while?None of us knows.Is water security important?Of course. Is this security worth having your monthly water bills increase a quarter to a third more? If your average monthly water bill is $150, how happy will you feel if it goes to $200 a month, especially during normal rain times […]
Earlier this month, Montecito Water District’s Strategic Planning Committee met to review the current status of a potential long-term Water Supply Agreement with the City of Santa Barbara. Phase 2 negotiations resumed in late March 2018, spearheaded by Nick Turner, MWD’s General Manager. Turner and MWD staff, along with District consultant David Moore of Clean […]
California’s aging State Water System with its surface canals and pumps was designed to meet the needs of 25 million California farmers and urban users. Today, it struggles to provide sustainable water for 40 million current state residents. Fortunately, technology – at a price – can help solve the problem, especially for coastal communities, if […]
“It’s all Trump’s fault”! Leftists instantly reach for the “Hate-Trump Card” as a knee-jerk reaction to virtually every “crisis.” Do you remember Democrats and the seedier media blaming Robert (“F**k Trump”) De Niro for the shooting and attempted assassination of president Ronald Reagan? I don’t. A certified mental case shot at the president because, as […]
The best way to predict the future is to watch those who are working hard to create it. It is fascinating to reflect on how fast the world is changing. The Auto Industry Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that Alphabet Inc’s Waymo has become the first company to receive a permit from the […]
Your choice for the Water and Sanitary District (MSD) candidates in the Tuesday, November 6, election will decide what kind of Montecito will be rebuilt from the debris and destruction nine months ago. A few months ago, I spoke to the Montecito Association at “public comment” time about the need for unity while the community […]
If the Committee for Montecito Water Security fulfills their promises, you can expect your water bills to increase by about one-third. They raised $80,000 in campaign money two years ago and were successful in having their two candidates elected to the Water District Board. There are only five Water Board directors, and it takes just […]
With less than two weeks before the November elections, pollsters, and most media pundits are telling us who will be the next governor of California. Gavin Newsom, former mayor of San Francisco and current lieutenant governor, is their anointed winner. According to articles from some newspapers, Newsom preferred to run against John Cox, the leading […]
Montecito voters will have a rare opportunity to elect two of five Montecito Sanitary District (MSD) Board members this year in a classic contest between appointed incumbents who have already held their board seats for up to 12 years and an exceptionally competent team of challengers who offer new ideas and a solid plan for […]
MWD general manager Nick Turner provides an update on District happenings as we head into a new water year: October 2018 – September 30, 2019. The 2017-2018 water year presented nearly every challenge a Water District might face: ongoing historic drought conditions, unprecedented climatic events, high-demand for fire protection, infrastructure devastation, disaster response, and community […]
by Ken Coates, Cori Hayman, Brian Goebel (candidates for Board of Directors, Montecito Water District) Dana Newquist, and Woody Barrett (candidates for Board of Directors, Montecito Sanitary District) When it comes to water and the environment, voters in Montecito face a stark choice on the November ballot: Change versus the status quo. The case for […]
In last week’s Montecito Journal, newly elected water directors inaccurately castigated me for over half a page, but again failed to explain how they plan on paying the $7,000,000 a year in new costs they want the District to incur, except by increasing your water bills. They still have not said why, when it takes […]
What a pleasure to see my name in huge print featured on the Water Security Team flyer that arrived today. I would be delighted to answer the questions that were directed at me, as a candidate for re-election to our Board of Directors. 1) “Who Elected them?” I applied when there was a vacancy at […]
Something smells at the Montecito Sanitary District, and its not coming from the sewage. On Monday, October 15, Warner Owens, a long-time, never-elected member of the Sanitary Board announced his resignation, effective immediately. Less than 24 hours later, the “Notice of Vacancy in Office” was posted “By Order Of the Board of Directors of the […]
Montecito’s vaunted “semi-rural” ambiance was shattered along with residents’ confidence after the Thomas Fire and the ensuing mud and debris flow that took the lives of 23 of our friends and neighbors and destroyed or seriously damaged nearly 10% of our housing stock. It is going to take a little time before the idea of […]
Two years ago, the voters in Montecito and Summerland elected us, Tobe Plough and Floyd Wicks, to serve four-year terms as directors of the Montecito Water District (MWD). Based upon our recent service on the MWD Board, we fully endorse the election of the following five members of the Water Security Team: For Montecito Water […]
