Can Santa Barbara’s Water Supply Keep Up with Housing?

A Grand Jury Report Says Yes

A recent Grand Jury report praises local water agencies’ “plans to meet increased water needs using creative solutions to supplement water supply,” such as the City of Santa Barbara’s desalination plant (above). | Credit: City of Santa Barbara

The question is inevitable: Does Santa Barbara County have enough water to support the new housing it desperately needs?

A Grand Jury report released this month says yes.

It’s an unusual twist. The watchdog group’s investigations usually highlight failures in local governance. However, the Water Management report found that Santa Barbara County, and all its individual water agencies, are operating “magnificently” and are adequately planning to meet the needs of new developments, according to foreperson Dale Kunkel. Kunkel, a current communications professor and former Congressional Science Fellow, spoke with notable verve about the Grand Jury’s work.

A separate report from the Grand Jury this month was a reminder that the South Coast’s housing shortage is “reaching crisis levels,” especially for low- and moderate-income residents. The root of the problem, the report states, is a lack of new development for many years. While barriers to construction and funding limitations are acknowledged, the Grand Jury insists that more can and must be done. It urges local agencies to “go beyond planning” and start building.

There’s no doubt that new housing developments are being pushed forward — just look at the units proposed for Paseo Nuevo and La Cumbre Plaza, or the eight-story apartment building potentially moving in behind the Mission. But red tape leads to delays, and it’s rare for such proposals to not be shrouded in various hypothetical concerns.

“The worry that’s historically been used to fend off new developments is, ‘Well, would we have enough water?’” Kunkel mused. In the ring against new developments, longstanding water concerns are joined by fears around increased traffic and insufficient parking.

As noted in the report, “the unique geography of the South Coast makes it particularly susceptible to drought,” but the entire county faces a scarcity of water. And although heavy rains in recent years have helped replenish reservoirs and aquifers, “complacency is not a luxury County residents can afford.” Another drought, it warns, is inevitable.

Unlike the housing report, however, the water report is actually “very upbeat,” Kunkel said. It was initiated by a citizen complaint, but the investigation revealed that water management in the county has improved substantially over the years. Although the group usually drops an investigation if no problems are found, “we felt like it was such an important topic area that we moved forward with the investigation,” Kunkel explained.

The report ended up praising the county’s water agencies. “Agencies are planning excellently,” Kunkel said, taking into consideration population growth, agriculture use, climate change, and new technologies. If and when new housing developments eventually come to fruition, “They have plans to meet increased water needs using creative solutions to supplement water supply, like the [City of Santa Barbara’s] desalination plant and increasing use of recycled wastewater.”

Residents are doing their part, too. The average daily per capita water use in the Goleta Valley Water District, for example, is now less than 50 gallons (the state average is 85). Agriculture has adapted by identifying some alternative crops that are less thirsty.

The report also notes that in Goleta Valley and other rural districts, new housing is not projected to materially increase water use. Most of the sites identified for larger housing development in Goleta Valley were historically agricultural properties, and housing requires much less water, explained David Matson, general manager of the Goleta Valley Water District.

“The [city’s] Urban Water Management Plan, updated every five years and scheduled for revision next year, will include the latest housing projects in its forecasts,” Matson said. He added that the district drilled its first new well in more than 40 years in 2024 — following a 10-year water moratorium due to the last drought — and plans to begin a second new well next month among other planned investments to secure water supplies.

Similar to the county’s other water districts, Matson said Goleta is prepared for population growth, future drought, and an aging water system — echoing one of the only potential problems brought up by the jury. Much of the county’s water infrastructure is old and in need of repair, but updates are in the works, it noted.

“Water is a finite resource,” Kunkel said. “There are two ways to deal: get as much as you can, or stretch what you’ve got … the county’s doing a good job of doing both.”

Review the Grand Jury’s full reports here: sbcgj.org.