Temporary Denial of New Service Applications
SAFE Water Supplies Ordinance:
In 1991 voters of the Goleta Water District passed the SAFE Water Supplies Ordinance, which sets forth conditions the District must meet in order to approve new or additional water connections. New and additional water connections are typically requested for development projects such as housing, commercial, and retail projects.
The Safe Ordinance prohibits the District from releasing potable water to new or additional service connections except when all of the following conditions are met:
- The District is receiving 100% of its deliveries normally allowed from Cachuma
- The District has met legal obligations in the Wright Judgment
- There is no water rationing
- The District has met its obligation to the Annual Storage Commitment to the Drought Buffer
October 1, 2014 Denial of New Service Applications:
The District has been notified by the Cachuma Operations and Maintenance Board that the District will receive only 45% of its normal deliveries from the Cachuma, which under the voter approved SAFE Ordinance means that no new or additional connections can be approved for water year beginning October 1, 2014.
Click here to read RESOLUTION NO. 2014-32 directing the denial of applications for new service connections.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Does this mean no new or additional connections can be approved?
Starting on October 1, 2014, no new or additional connections will be approved, except for projects have already paid their new water supply charge, or projects that have historical water credits for which the new proposed project will use the same or less water.
Will I still be able to submit an application?
Yes, we are accepting applications to determine if a new water allocation is necessary for a project, or whether the project has a sufficient historical water credit.
Under what conditions will the Goleta Water District resume approving new service connections?
The District can only legally resume approving new and additional connections when the Cachuma delivery returns to 100%, so long as other conditions of the SAFE act have not been triggered.
For additional information on new water services, please call or email Ryan Drake, Goleta Water District Water Supply & Conservation Manager. (805) 879-4627 Turn on Javascript!
(Published October 1, 2014)