Santa Barbara - Lincolnwood

Why This Project?

The groundwater beneath the City is a shared resource for all water users in the community. The purpose of this project is to protect the shared water supplies of the entire City community, create equity among all users of those shared supplies, and guarantee safe, reliable drinking water for all residents.

One of Lincolnwood Mutual Water Company's (LMWC) wells has failed due to nitrate contamination. This has spurred conversations about enacting an existing agreement from 1979 that would allow the City to assume the responsibility of becoming the Lincolnwood community's water supplier.

Open dialogue between the City staff and LMWC has resulted in two potential paths forward for LMWC shareholders that will be presented to City Council. Those paths are:

1. Enact the terms of the existing 1979 agreement and have the City become the Lincolnwood community's water supplier at no expense to Lincolnwood residents; or

2. Enact a new agreement that would allow LMWC to continue to operate. The term sheet for this agreement has been created by City staff and LMWC. Under this agreement LMWC would be responsible for installing new water meters, billing residents volumetrically for water usage, and abiding by pumping limitations.

City staff will indicate which is the shareholders' preferred path forward in the staff report to Water Commission and City Council. The item will go to City Council for a final decision in late 2020/early 2021.

An informational session hosted by the City and LMWC for LMWC shareholders is currently scheduled for September 30th at 6 p.m. utilizing the GoToWebniar platform. Please review the project FAQs for more information on the project. To receive periodic updates and news alerts on this project, please add your email in the "Stay Informed" box at the top right of this page.

LMWC Information Session Coming Soon

August 4, 2020

An information session hosted by the City and the Lincolnwood Mutual Water Company (LMWC) for LMWC shareholders is currently scheduled for September 30th at 6 p.m. utilizing the GoToWebniar platform. The web based virtual information session will allow LMWC shareholders to participate by phone or online. The information session will also be recorded, so those who are not able to join the webinar live may watch it later online. The link to join the information session will be made available on the SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Lincolnwood webpage soon.

If shareholders have any questions or comments they would like addressed during the information session, the City and LMWC ask that shareholders submit questions and/or comments to Lincolnwood@SantaBarbaraCA.gov by 5 p.m. on September 14^th. If shareholders prefer to mail in their questions, please use the following mailing address:

City of Santa Barbara Water Supply
ATTN Lincolnwood
P.O. Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93102

Explore

Stay Informed

Lincolnwood's Water Supply Future

Why This Project?

What's Happening?

LMWC Information Session Coming Soon

Project Documents