Edhat StaffSource: City of Santa Barbara
An ordinance proposing changes to the City’s water metering regulations will be introduced to the City Council on August 7. Current City regulations require each new dwelling unit to be served by a City water meter located in the public right-of-way. In cases where right-of-way space is limited, the City has approved installation of a City master meter at the curb and City submeters located on private property. This ordinance will require that, in the event submetering is approved for a project, submeters installed on private property must be privately owned and operated submeters, rather than City owned and operated submeters.
The City’s Water Commission and Ordinance Committee reviewed the proposed ordinance on June 21 and July 17, respectively, and both voted unanimously to support staff’s recommended updates. The proposed ordinance will be introduced to City Council on August 7 and is tentatively scheduled for adoption on August 14. The ordinance takes effect one month after adoption.
The Council agenda for August 7 will be available here approximately a week before the meeting. For additional information, please contact Dana Hoffenberg, Water Resources Specialist, at 805-560-7585, or by email at DHoffenberg@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
When this is necessary due to routine, excessive use, the water user should be billed for putting in the restraining meter, not everybody. It’s frustrating to be forced to pay for me-me-me types who care for no one but themselves. Let those who habitually choose a lifestyle of excess and wastefulness pay and see if they are willing to pay for their anti-social choices.
Does anyone have exact language of ordinance to post? Is this lawful under Prop 13 to add an addition fee- tax, another cost to home ownership? The SB Water Division is forcing some to leave SB because we cannot pay our water bills- some the highest in the US. Tier 2 and 3 are forced to subsidize Tier 1 who do not pay their fair share. However in socialist SB, only 2-3 people care as evidenced by the same 2-3 persons ever making public comment. Whete’s every othe City water user who is not seriously wealthy?