Santa Barbara Water Vision Month

Inform Santa Barbara's Water Vision this October

LEARN  l  ENGAGE  l INTERACT

Water is central to our quality of life in Santa Barbara. The City of Santa Barbara is developing a comprehensive plan—called Water Vision Santa Barbara—to help ensure a reliable, resilient, cost-effective, and environmentally safe water supply that serves the varied needs of our community long into the future.

October is Water Vision Month—giving community members a meaningful opportunity to inform our community’s Water Vision. The City is hosting a range of virtual activities throughout October including live virtual Lunch and LearnTalks Oct. 5-9, a series of educational videos, and a virtual engagement platform where you can express your views and shape our Water Vision. All public input will be anonymous, and shared with Water Commission and City Council to directly inform the City’s final Urban Water Management Plan.

Below is a snapshot of what the program will include. RVSPs are strongly recommended to stay informed of Water Vision Month activities.

Learn. Watch Videos on Key Water Topics

The videos below will unlock Monday, October 5, 2020. Each brief video covers water related topics that our community has expressed interest in learning more about. Watch and learn on your own schedule.

Videos Coming October 1, 2020

Why Our Community Needs a Water Vision
How Stakeholders Are Informing Our Water Vision
The Risks and Uncertainties Facing Our Water Supply
What Goes Into Creating a Future Water Supply?

Videos available now:

Water Source: State Water Project
Water Source: Ocean Desalination Plant
Water Source: Cachuma Reservoir
Water Source: Gibraltar Reservoir

Engage. Shape Our Water Vision at the Virtual Community Board

Beginning Monday, October 5, 2020 the City will open an easy-to-use engagement platform where you can interact with fellow community members to inform Santa Barbara's Water Vision. All responses are anonymous and the board will be available in English and Spanish.

• Share the water-related values and outcomes that are most important to you
• Share your biggest water-related questions or concerns
• Share what topics you want to learn more about

Interact. Talk with City Staff at Live Lunch and Learns

Join any of these virtual Lunch and Learns (offered via Zoom Meetings) to learn about key water topics and to get your top questions answered by City staff. Each Lunch and Learn will begin with an educational presentation, followed by an open dialogue and Q&A for all participants. All sessions will be recorded and published to the project website following the live presentation.

HOW DO I JOIN A LUNCH AND LEARN SESSION? To join a Zoom Meeting Lunch and Learn session, click the link to “get Zoom Access Details” next to the session title any time prior to the session start; complete the registration form, and watch for access details sent to the email address provided.

Conservation Strategic Plan

Monday, Oct. 5 • 12:00pm-12:45pm — Click here to get Zoom Access Details
Join this 45-minute educational Lunch and Learn to learn more about the programs that make up the City's Conservation Strategic Plan and to get your top questions answered by City staff. Topics will include how/why the programs were selected, the benefits the programs offer to the City’s water supply, and more. Zoom Meeting access details will be emailed to you following registration to protect the security of the virtual meeting.

Where Our Water Comes From, Including Ocean Desal

Tuesday, Oct. 6 • 12:00pm-12:45pm - Click here to get Zoom Access Details
Santa Barbara has one of the most diverse water supplies in the country—with 6 sources serving all of our community’s water needs. Join this 45-minute educational Lunch and Learn to learn about the different water sources that serve our community, the give and take of future supply planning, and to get your top water supply questions answered by City staff. Zoom Meeting access details will be emailed to you following registration to protect the security of the virtual meeting.

The Basics of Water Rates

Wednesday, Oct. 7 • 12:00pm-12:45pm — Click here to get Zoom Access Details
Join this 45-minute educational Lunch and Learn to learn the basics of what goes into setting our community’s water rates, including key incentives for water efficiency and conservation. Get your top water rate questions answered by City staff and learn more about future opportunities to get involved in the City’s water rate decisions. Zoom Meeting access details will be emailed to you following registration to protect the security of the virtual meeting.

Methods to Optimize Water Resilience and Reliability

Thursday, Oct. 8 • 12:00pm-12:45pm — Click here to get Zoom Access Details
Santa Barbara’s diverse water supply is a key factor in ensuring the continued resilience and reliability of water to our community—even as the City faces unprecedented shocks and stresses. Join this 45-minute educational Lunch and Learn to learn the key methods the City is incorporating into its Water Vision plan to optimize the continued resilience and reliability of our water supply while retaining its commitment to affordability and environmental health. Topics will include the role of desalination, conservation, water loss control, potable reuse, and groundwater banking/storage.

Open House Panel Q&A

Friday, Oct. 9 • 12:00pm-1:00pm — Click here to get Zoom Access Details
Join at any time to get your top water and conservation-related questions answered by a panel of City staff. Share your ideas or concerns, and further inform Water Vision Santa Barbara. Zoom Meeting access details will be emailed to you following registration to protect the security of the virtual meeting.