Your Local Water Profile: Montecito
This profile explains what the applicable water provider reported for Montecito, what those results may mean throughout a home, and where property-specific testing or inspection may still be needed.
Water provider: Montecito Water District
Public water system CA4210007 · 2025 report · Current 2025 monitoring cycle
View the 2025 Montecito Water District Consumer Confidence ReportWhat the official water report says
Your water at a glance
Montecito Water District
The report lists hardness as 527 mg/L; this is very hard on the USGS scale.
USGS hardness scale: 0–60 soft; 61–120 moderately hard; 121–180 hard; >180 very hard, in mg/L as CaCO3.
Montecito Water District — compliance, as reported
The report states: “Last year, as in years past, your tap water met all EPA and State drinking water health standards. Montecito Water District vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are proud to report that our system has never violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. [p. 316-319]”
Violations or advisories, as reported: None stated. The report explicitly states: \"our system has never violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard.\"
The Three C's — 1 of 3
Chemistry
What does this water tend to do in a home?
Total Hardness
The utility reported: 527 mg/L
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 290 · official report
Total Hardness (grains per gallon)
The utility reported: 18 to 36 grains per gallon
Drinking Water Info · report p. 332 · official report
Calcium
The utility reported: 99 mg/L
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 293 · official report
Magnesium
The utility reported: 44 mg/L
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 294 · official report
pH
The utility reported: 7.72 pH units
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 288 · official report
Total Alkalinity
The utility reported: 211 mg/L
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 291 · official report
Total Dissolved Solids
The utility reported: 983 mg/L
Secondary Standards · report p. 280 · official report
Sodium
The utility reported: 95 mg/L
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 295 · official report
Lead 90th Percentile
The utility reported: Not detected at the report's stated reporting limit µg/L
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 246 · official report
Copper 90th Percentile
The utility reported: 470 µg/L
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 249 · official report
Free Chlorine Residual
The utility reported: 0.81 mg/L
Primary Standards · report p. 227 · official report
The Three C's — 2 of 3
Contaminants
What was reported, and what do the applicable standards mean?
Legal limit — maximum contaminant level (MCL)
The highest level legally allowed in public drinking water under the applicable rule. Do not use MCL as a generic label for goals, action levels, notification levels, or independent guidelines. It is different from a non-enforceable health goal.
California health goal — public health goal (PHG)
A non-enforceable health-protective target developed for standard-setting context. It is not the California legal limit.
Federal health goal — maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG)
A non-enforceable EPA public-health target used in setting standards. It is not the legal limit.
Legal disinfectant-residual limit — maximum residual disinfectant level (MRDL)
The highest level of a drinking-water disinfectant allowed under the applicable rule. It is not an MCL for a contaminant.
Montecito Water District — regulated contaminants reported as detected (20)
Treated Turbidity
The utility reported: 0.07 NTU
Reported range: 0.03 - 0.20
TT: TT = 1 NTU · Health goal (MCLG): NA — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Soil runoff.
Primary Standards · report p. 185 · official report
Gross Alpha Particle Activity
The utility reported: 3.01 pCi/L
Reported range: 1.92 - 3.47
Legal limit (MCL): 15 · Health goal (MCLG): (0) — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Erosion of natural deposits.
Primary Standards · report p. 190 · official report
Aluminum
The utility reported: 13.3 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 40
Legal limit (MCL): 1000 · Health goal (PHG): 600 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Erosion of natural deposits; residue from some surface water treatment processes.
Primary Standards · report p. 194 · official report
Barium
The utility reported: 0.08 mg/L
Reported range: 0.06 - 0.10
Legal limit (MCL): 1 · Health goal (PHG): 2 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Discharges of oil drilling wastes: erosion of natural deposits.
Primary Standards · report p. 196 · official report
Fluoride
The utility reported: 0.9 mg/L
Reported range: 0.2 - 1.3
Legal limit (MCL): 2 · Health goal (PHG): 1 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer.
Primary Standards · report p. 197 · official report
Mercury
The utility reported: 0.05 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 0.09
Legal limit (MCL): 2 · Health goal (PHG): 1.2 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Erosion of natural deposits; runnoff from landfills and cropland.
Primary Standards · report p. 198 · official report
Nickel
The utility reported: 0.33 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 1.0
Legal limit (MCL): 100 · Health goal (PHG): 12 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Erosion of natural deposits.
Primary Standards · report p. 199 · official report
Nitrate as N (Nitrogen)
The utility reported: 3.2 mg/L
Reported range: 0.8 - 6.3
Legal limit (MCL): 10 · Health goal (PHG): 10 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Runoff or leaching from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks and sewage; erosion from natural deposits
Primary Standards · report p. 201 · official report
Nitrate as NO3
The utility reported: 0.25 mg/L
Reported range: 0.14-0.49
Legal limit (MCL): 45 · Health goal (PHG): 2 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Runoff or leaching from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks and sewage; erosion from natural deposits
Primary Standards · report p. 203 · official report
Perchlorate
The utility reported: 1.0 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 2.2
Legal limit (MCL): 6 · Health goal (PHG): 1 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Perchlorate is an inorganic chemical used in solid rocket propellant, fireworks, explosives, flares, matches, and a variety of industries. It usually gets into drinking water as a result of environmental contamination from historic aerospace or other industrial operations that used or use, store, or dispose of perchlorate and its salts
Primary Standards · report p. 206 · official report
Selenium
The utility reported: 4.0 µg/L
Reported range: 2.0 - 6.0
Legal limit (MCL): 50 · Health goal (PHG): 30 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Discharge from petroleum, glass, and metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines and chemical manufacturers; runoff from livestock lots (feed additive).
Primary Standards · report p. 211 · official report
Atrazine
The utility reported: 0.056 µg/L
Reported range: 0.056
Legal limit (MCL): 1 · Health goal (PHG): 0.15 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Herbicide runoff
Primary Standards · report p. 214 · official report
Simazine
The utility reported: 0.059 µg/L
Reported range: 0.059
Legal limit (MCL): 4 · Health goal (PHG): 4 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Herbicide runoff
Primary Standards · report p. 215 · official report
Free Chlorine Residual
The utility reported: 0.81 mg/L
Reported range: 0.20-1.79
MRDL: 4.0 · Health goal (MRDLG): 4.0 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment
Primary Standards · report p. 227 · official report
Total Trihalomethanes
The utility reported: 33.1 µg/L
Reported range: 17-45
Legal limit (MCL): 80 · Health goal (MCLG): NA — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: By-product of drinking water disinfection
Primary Standards · report p. 229 · official report
Haloacetic Acids
The utility reported: 24.3 µg/L
Reported range: 10-31
Legal limit (MCL): 60 · Health goal (MCLG): NA — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: By-product of drinking water disinfection
Primary Standards · report p. 230 · official report
Bromate
The utility reported: 3.3 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 3.6
Legal limit (MCL): 10 · Health goal (MCLG): NA — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Byproduct of drinking water disinfection.
Primary Standards · report p. 235 · official report
Total Organic Carbon (DBP Precursor)
The utility reported: 1.89 mg/L
Reported range: 0.8 - 2.52
TT: TT · Health goal (MCLG): NA — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Various natural and manmade sources. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) has no health effects. However, it provides a medium for the formation of disinfection byproducts.
Primary Standards · report p. 238 · official report
Lead
The utility reported: Not detected at the report's stated reporting limit µg/L
Reported range: ND
AL: 15 · Health goal (PHG): 0.2 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems; discharges from industrial manufacturers; erosion of natural deposits.
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 246 · official report
Copper
The utility reported: 470 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 900
AL: 1300 · Health goal (PHG): 300 — not an enforceable limit
Violation per report: No
Typical source, per the report: Internal corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives.
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 249 · official report
Montecito Water District — unregulated monitoring and secondary (aesthetic) records (9)
Unregulated means monitored without an applicable enforceable legal limit (MCL) — it does not mean unimportant or illegal. Secondary records address aesthetic, cosmetic, or technical effects such as taste, odor, staining, or scale, and are not automatically primary health standards.
Iron
The utility reported: 18 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 160
Typical source, per the report: Leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes.
Secondary Standards · report p. 270 · official report
Manganese
The utility reported: 10 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 50
Typical source, per the report: Leaching from natural deposits.
Secondary Standards · report p. 271 · official report
Threshold Odor at 60 degrees celcius
The utility reported: 8 Units
Reported range: 8-8
Typical source, per the report: Naturally-occurring organic materials.
Secondary Standards · report p. 273 · official report
Specific Conductance
The utility reported: 1369 umhos/cm
Reported range: 661 - 1994
Typical source, per the report: Substances that form ions in water; seawater influence.
Secondary Standards · report p. 276 · official report
Zinc
The utility reported: 0.2 mg/L
Reported range: ND - 0.2
Typical source, per the report: Runoff or leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes.
Secondary Standards · report p. 282 · official report
Boron
The utility reported: 0.38 ug/L
Reported range: ND - 0.6
Typical source, per the report: NA
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 292 · official report
Potassium
The utility reported: 2.8 mg/L
Reported range: 1.0 - 2.9
Typical source, per the report: NA
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 296 · official report
Vanadium
The utility reported: 7.7 mg/L
Reported range: ND - 8.0
Typical source, per the report: NA
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 297 · official report
Lithium
The utility reported: 43.5 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 56.0
Typical source, per the report: NA
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 · report p. 304 · official report
The Three C's — 3 of 3
Corrosion
What conditions could influence pipes, fixtures, and a water heater?
pH
The utility reported: 7.72 pH units
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 288 · official report
Total Alkalinity
The utility reported: 211 mg/L
Additional Constituents Analyzed · report p. 291 · official report
Lead 90th Percentile
The utility reported: Not detected at the report's stated reporting limit µg/L
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 246 · official report
Copper 90th Percentile
The utility reported: 470 µg/L
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 249 · official report
Gross Alpha Particle Activity
The utility reported: 3.01 pCi/L
Reported range: 1.92 - 3.47
Typical source, per the report: Erosion of natural deposits.
Primary Standards · report p. 190 · official report
Lead
The utility reported: Not detected at the report's stated reporting limit µg/L
Reported range: ND
Typical source, per the report: Internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems; discharges from industrial manufacturers; erosion of natural deposits.
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 246 · official report
Copper
The utility reported: 470 µg/L
Reported range: ND - 900
Typical source, per the report: Internal corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives.
Lead and Copper Rule · report p. 249 · official report
Whole-Home Relevance
What this may mean throughout your home
Local conditions can be relevant to equipment and fixtures — actual effects depend on your property.
Water heater (tank and tankless)
- What the local report can tell us
- The report's hardness and mineral values above are the system-level inputs most relevant to scale and sediment where water is heated.
- What a homeowner may notice
- Hardness minerals can contribute to scale on heating surfaces, sediment in tanks, and more frequent flushing or descaling needs.
- What the report cannot tell us
- Property-specific outcomes — actual effects depend on temperature, use, equipment design, installation, maintenance, and property plumbing.
- Responsible next step
- Inspect the actual water heater and plumbing when symptoms involve hot-water odor, scale, sediment, corrosion, flow, noise, or repeated service demand.
Dishwasher and washing machine
- What the local report can tell us
- Reported hardness and secondary (aesthetic) records are the relevant system-level context for spotting and residue.
- What a homeowner may notice
- Hard water can change soap behavior and may contribute to spotting on dishes and residue in laundry.
- What the report cannot tell us
- Property-specific outcomes — actual effects depend on temperature, use, equipment design, installation, maintenance, and property plumbing.
- Responsible next step
- Inspect the actual water heater and plumbing when symptoms involve hot-water odor, scale, sediment, corrosion, flow, noise, or repeated service demand.
Pipes, fixtures, faucets, and supply lines
- What the local report can tell us
- The corrosion-related inputs above (such as pH) describe the water entering the property — not the condition of any specific plumbing.
- What a homeowner may notice
- Mineral deposits can appear on aerators and fixtures; corrosion outcomes depend on materials, age, and water conditions together.
- What the report cannot tell us
- Property-specific outcomes — actual effects depend on temperature, use, equipment design, installation, maintenance, and property plumbing.
- Responsible next step
- Inspect the actual water heater and plumbing when symptoms involve hot-water odor, scale, sediment, corrosion, flow, noise, or repeated service demand.
Drinking and cooking water
- What the local report can tell us
- The contaminant records above show what the utility reported for the system and period, with each benchmark type labeled.
- What a homeowner may notice
- Taste, odor, or aesthetic preferences can be noticeable even when health-based standards are met.
- What the report cannot tell us
- Property-specific outcomes — actual effects depend on temperature, use, equipment design, installation, maintenance, and property plumbing.
- Responsible next step
- Inspect the actual water heater and plumbing when symptoms involve hot-water odor, scale, sediment, corrosion, flow, noise, or repeated service demand.
Decision Pathways
Treatment pathways to evaluate
Treatment is a decision pathway, not a product conclusion — no equipment can be responsibly chosen from city-level data alone.
The evaluation sequence we follow, in order:
- 1Define the concern
- 2Verify utility-level and home-specific evidence
- 3Choose point of treatment
- 4Verify the exact certified reduction claim for the exact model
- 5Review tradeoffs and maintenance
Water filtration
- Objective it can address
- Specific substances or aesthetic conditions (taste, odor, chlorine character).
- Point of treatment
- Point of entry or point of use, depending on the objective.
- Limitations to verify
- A filter works only for the conditions and reduction claims its exact design and certification support — filtration does not soften water.
Certification note: a standard number alone doesn't prove a product reduces every contaminant — the exact model's certified claim must match your objective.
Water softening
- Objective it can address
- Hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) and the scale they can contribute to.
- Point of treatment
- Typically point of entry, confirmed by evaluation.
- Limitations to verify
- Softening primarily exchanges hardness minerals — it is not a universal contaminant-removal device.
Certification note: a standard number alone doesn't prove a product reduces every contaminant — the exact model's certified claim must match your objective.
Reverse osmosis
- Objective it can address
- Specified dissolved substances at a dedicated outlet, commonly drinking and cooking water.
- Point of treatment
- Typically point of use.
- Limitations to verify
- Produces a reject-water stream and needs pressure and maintenance; verify the exact NSF/ANSI 58 reduction claims for the exact model. It is not automatically the best system for every home.
Certification note: a standard number alone doesn't prove a product reduces every contaminant — the exact model's certified claim must match your objective.
When testing is the right next step
Use a certified laboratory when the concern is tap-specific, property-specific, or not resolved by the utility report.
When inspection is the right next step
Inspect the actual water heater and plumbing when symptoms involve hot-water odor, scale, sediment, corrosion, flow, noise, or repeated service demand.
Evidence You Can Check
Official reports, sources, and methodology
Official report — Montecito Water District
2025 ANNUAL DRINKING WATER CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT · data year 2025 · Current 2025 monitoring cycle
View the 2025 Montecito Water District Consumer Confidence ReportSource water, per the report: The District's primary sources are predominantly local and include the Water Supply Agreement with the City of Santa Barbara (desalination), the Cachuma Project, Jameson Lake, and groundwater. Surface water sources include the District’s Jameson Lake and Lake Cachuma. The District’s Amapola Well, Paden Well No. 2, Ennisbrook Well No. 5, Ennisbrook Well No. 2 and T Mosby Well No. 2 were used as groundwater supply sources. Doulton Tunnel is a horizontal well, source of groundwater and conveyance from Jameson Lake. State Water Project & Supplemental Water Purchase are also mentioned.
Nearby community water profiles
Property-Specific Next Step
Request a Water Quality Evaluation
Request a water-heater and water-quality evaluation tailored to the property, equipment, and homeowner objective.
A property-specific evaluation confirms your goals, provider, tap conditions, plumbing, equipment, installation, and maintenance before any treatment recommendation — this profile alone is never used to prescribe equipment.
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