The city of Santa Barbara has awarded contracts for the environmental and design phases of the Vic Trace Reservoir Replacement Project.

“This is a significant step toward ensuring a safe, resilient water delivery system for the community now and in the future,” the city said.

Located in the Alta Mesa neighborhood, the 10-million-gallon reservoir is a vital component of the city’s water distribution system, serving nearly 60,000 customers or approximately 70% of Santa Barbara’s population.

Now in its seventh decade, the aging reservoir is nearing the end of its useful life, requiring constant repair and maintenance work, the city said. The multi-year project aims to address this by constructing a new reservoir of the same capacity.

Nearby pipelines, valves, and pump stations will also be evaluated for repair and replacement.

The project fortifies reliability against natural disasters and climate change-related issues, while also improving water quality, and system operations for all of Santa Barbara, the city said.

The city also is acting to enhance security measures across all its water infrastructure sites to comply with federal regulations and further safeguard the local water supply.

To prepare for the upcoming design and construction phases, the city has facilitated the removal of leased communication and radio facilities onsite. The facilities are within the anticipated demolition and construction footprint of the future buried reservoirs.

Working with several partners, the city has dismantled the 45-foot-tall cellular tower onsite and is assisting other onsite parties with the transition of the remaining facilities to new locations.

A community design workshop is expected to be held in winter 2025. To learn more, visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/VicTrace.