Montecito Asked to Ration Water

Montecito water customers were notified they could be facing some form of rationing early next year if normal winter rains fail to materialize. With two years consecutive dry years, Montecito residents — known for their lush landscapes — have been using more water than normal, taxing the community’s limited supplies. Worse yet, at least 14 wells have gone dry in the past two months alone and another eight before that. Barring normal winter rains, the Montecito Water District would need far more water from the State Water Project than the state water system can deliver this year. District officials put customers on notice they need to cut consumption by 20 percent, but by the time the notices were delivered, that number was already too low. The real number is now 30 percent.