Montecito's water and sanitary districts, with the Montecito Sanitary District's treatment plant seen here, and the Summerland Sanitary District are exploring reorganization. A previous study — which just focused on Montecito — found there was largely no financial upside to consolidating, but the area could possibly benefit from having one governing body oversee water resources.
Montecito's water and sanitary districts, with the Montecito Sanitary District's treatment plant seen here, and the Summerland Sanitary District are exploring reorganization. A previous study — which just focused on Montecito — found there was largely no financial upside to consolidating, but the area could possibly benefit from having one governing body oversee water resources. Credit: Evelyn Spence / Noozhawk photo

After several delays, the Montecito Sanitary District’s discussion on an agreement centered on reorganization with nearby special districts is set for Wednesday.

Under the agreement on the table, a consultant would be hired to outline the pros and cons of consolidating Montecito’s water and sanitary districts, as well as the Summerland Sanitary District, and dive into what that reorganization might look like.

The memorandum of understanding being considered does not commit the three districts to consolidation. 

The agreement itself was pushed from the Montecito Sanitary District’s March 25 and April 8 agendas, after other items took up the directors’ time, including a lengthy discussion on recycled water and reorganization.

Montecito’s water and sanitary districts initially had explored merging or restructuring the districts in 2023.  

Those talks stalled after a consolidation feasibility study found there was largely no financial benefit to consolidating. The area could, however, possibly benefit from having a single board decide on water policies, per the study.

The study also found that consolidation would make sense if both districts decided to pursue a recycled water program.

Recycled water in Montecito has long been discussed, but the Montecito Water District voted to pause recycled water efforts in 2024, stating that it was financially infeasible.

Montecito Sanitary District directors in March wrestled with recycled water amid reorganization and strategy talks. The board members ultimately all agreed they were in favor of recycled water, but disagreed on how to go about it.

Board member Woody Barrett argued that consolidating the three districts would help move recycled water forward because it puts the decision under one body, while Rock Rockenbach said consolidating would essentially kill recycled water given Montecito Water’s position.

Montecito Sanitary Board President Rock Rockenbach at a meeting in early April. Rockenbach has said consolidating would essentially kill recycled water, given Montecito Water's position that recycled water is financially infeasible.
Montecito Sanitary District board president Rock Rockenbach, seen at a meeting in early April, has said that consolidating would essentially kill recycled water, given Montecito Water’s position that recycled water is financially infeasible. Credit: Evelyn Spence / Noozhawk photo

The districts had revived reorganization talks last year, this time with Summerland Sanitary District in the mix. 

Because Summerland wasn’t included in the initial 2023 study, during the past year the three districts’ respective staff prepared an agreement that outlines a plan for working together and studying reorganization. 

The water district approved its drafted agreement in January and sent it along to the other districts for review.

Summerland Sanitary’s board has not yet formally voted on the agreement. Business manager Diantha Glaser last month told Noozhawk that Summerland is waiting to see how Montecito Sanitary moves forward.

Montecito Sanitary’s board is set to meet at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 1042 Monte Cristo Lane.

If the board makes any changes to the MOU already approved by the water district, that edited agreement will have to return to the water district for approval. 

Any formal consolidation plan must be approved by the Santa Barbara County Local Agency Formation Commission.

— Noozhawk South County editor Evelyn Spence can be reached at espence@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.