The Montecito Water District Board of Directors approved a special Tea Fire disaster relief program (see below) to aid District customers. This program approved on November 18th went into effect immediately.
Many water meters in the fire area have been shut off due to damaged customer service lines. Even homes which are intact may have incurred heat damage to PVC irrigation lines and fittings which necessitated the locking-off of their meters until repairs could be made by the homeowners. The shutting off of these meters was necessary to avoid water waste and loss.
District customers displaced by the Tea Fire are asked to contact the Montecito Water District at 805-969-2271. The District requires current contact information for all affected customers, so that important information on water service options can be sent to those customers.
Those who have lost their homes may have the option to suspend water service until new development is underway. For those that qualify and elect to temporarily discontinue water service, the District will shut off and lock water meters and waive all meter charges until water service is reinstated at the request of the customer. The option to suspend water service will be for a limited time, ending December 1, 2010. Also, certain adjustments can be made to the November water bills for those properties that sustained damage and water losses due to the Tea Fire.
We recognize that each case is unique and we will work with our customers on a one-to-one basis to help in every way we can.
The Board of Directors, recognizing that water was used for property protection throughout the District, has also voted to increase the single family residential block one quantity of water from 25 HCF to 35 HCF (giving all customers 7,480 gallons more at the base rate) for water use in November only.
Tea Fire Customer Disaster Relief Program
At their meeting on November 18, 2008 the Board of Directors approved the following program for customers affected by the Tea Fire.
1. When a meter in the fire area was turned off during or immediately after the Tea Fire, and stays off through November 2008, all fees and charges for November 2008 are waived.
2. Where home is totally or partially destroyed by the fire, and owner contacts District to shut off meter, manager may waive fees for November 2008.
3. Where home is (1 or 2) and owner wants to use water in November, District charges lesser of pro-rate from October or actual usage for the time meter is on.
4. Where the meter has been turned off by District or at customer request, District will assess the property; if the home has been destroyed then District will lock off the meter and discontinue service with no monthly service charge for the period up to the date customer requests service to be reinitiated. This waiver shall be for one time only and shall extend no later than 12/1/2010.
“Destroyed” means that the home was made uninhabitable as a direct result of the Tea Fire.
