Storm season in Montecito: what January 2018 taught homeowners
On 9 January 2018, about half an inch of rain fell in five minutes around 3:30 a.m., and the debris flow killed 23 people, according to the USGS. The county counted 129 single-family homes destroyed and 307 damaged. Montecito Water District reported damage at over 300 locations, including 15 distribution main breaks and about 290 damaged service connections.
For a homeowner the lesson is practical. After a heavy storm, check for low pressure, discolored water and wet ground near the service line, and shut the main if something looks wrong. A leak detection visit can separate a damaged line from a fixture problem.
Before We Arrive: four steps for a Montecito estate
Large properties have long pipe runs. Act on the first sign of water in the wrong place.
Shut off the main water valve
Find it where the service line enters the property, often near a gate or the street meter. Turn it fully clockwise.
Cut power to wet areas
Switch off the breaker for a flooded pool house or garage only if you can reach the panel on dry floor.
Clear the area
Move vehicles and valuables out of the water path. Keep children and pets away from sewage.
Call the 24/7 line
Give the street, gate instructions and the problem. A clear price comes before work starts.
Leak after a storm?
Shut the main valve and call the 24/7 line.
Montecito Water District hardness and your water heater
Montecito Water District serves Montecito and Summerland, about 4,600 connections. Its 2023 consumer confidence report lists average hardness of 383 mg/L for Cachuma water, 400 for Jameson Lake and 411 for groundwater, roughly 23 to 24 grains per gallon for surface water, with free chlorine averaging 0.79 mg/L.
That is hard water, and it leaves scale on heater elements and tank bottoms. If your heater has failed, water heater replacement is the next conversation, and filtration or a softener is a choice you can add.
Common Montecito calls
Estates and older homes produce a different mix than apartment districts.
| What you notice | What may be behind it | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Wet lawn or driveway with nothing running | Broken service or irrigation line | Leak detection |
| Water heater drips or runs cold | Corroded tank or scale | Water heater repair |
| Several fixtures drain slowly | Blocked main or septic outlet | Drain cleaning |
| Odor near the yard cleanout | Waste standing in the lateral | Sewer line cleaning |
Montecito Sanitary District and the septic question
Montecito Sanitary District serves 3,043 residential and 44 commercial or institutional connections, and offers a Septic to Sewer conversion program with an installment plan. How many properties remain on septic is not confirmed. If yours is one of them, the district is the place to ask about connecting.
Which side of the property line a stoppage sits on decides who fixes it. A camera shows where the blockage is. The lateral rule was not verified for this district, so ask the district.
Upper Village, East Valley Road and estate-size properties
Montecito is almost entirely single-family estates, and 75.8 percent of homes are owner-occupied. Journal reports describe the Golden Quadrangle as multi-acre lots north of East Valley Road. Other places include Upper Village and Lower Village, Hedgerows, Fernald Point, Eucalyptus Hill, Romero Canyon, San Ysidro Road and Hot Springs Road.
On large lots, pipe runs are long and irrigation is extensive, so a small leak can lose a lot of water. A repiping decision depends on how often the same lines fail. Landmarks such as Lotusland and San Ysidro Ranch help the dispatcher locate you.
Montecito at a glance
A few notes on dispatch and the community.
Open around the clock
The 24/7 line takes Montecito calls at any hour. Arrival time depends on the call.
About 13 to 15 miles from our shop
That is a rough estimate, and gate or driveway details help the plumber.
An unincorporated community
8,638 people lived here in 2020, and there is no city government, so County Building and Safety handles permit questions.
Summerland next door
Summerland, ZIP 93067, takes water from Montecito Water District and sewer service from Summerland Sanitary District.
Questions to ask before a repair in Montecito
These help avoid surprises.
- Who owns the line? Ask the district where the property line ends.
- Is a permit needed? Permit rules vary, so ask County Building and Safety.
- What is the price? We give a clear price before work starts.
- Is the plumber licensed? We are licensed and insured. Check any contractor with the state board.
ZIP 93108 and the communities around it
Calls from 93108 are often drain cleaning and leak work. Coast Village Road lies within the City of Santa Barbara, not the Montecito area, so Santa Barbara covers it.
To the west, Hope Ranch is a similar estate community. Give a street address and the dispatcher sorts out coverage.
Map of Montecito
The map shows the community we dispatch to, east of Santa Barbara.
Questions we hear most
Yes. The 24/7 line takes Montecito calls at any hour. Arrival time depends on the call, and the dispatcher explains what to expect.
The ZIP for Montecito is 93108, which covers the community from the Upper Village down toward Butterfly Beach. Summerland is a separate community with ZIP 93067.
Montecito Water District supplies water to Montecito and Summerland. Ask the district for its report.
Montecito Sanitary District serves many properties and has a Septic to Sewer conversion program. Ask the district whether your address is connected.
Montecito is unincorporated, so County Building and Safety issues permits. Permit rules vary, so ask the county.
Yes. Give the dispatcher gate details and a contact.