The Santa Barbara County Well Water Quality Program is planned to continue through January 2030. As the Program approaches its conclusion, participants will receive information about next steps and available resources. 

For participants receiving bottled water service through the Program, bottled water will be provided until a household water treatment device is installed or until the Program ends, whichever occurs first. Program staff will provide advance notice and information about available resources and options before services are discontinued. Participants may opt to continue the bottled water service at their own expense. 

Participants with a household water treatment system may be able to keep the system after the pilot ends. However, responsibility for ongoing monitoring, maintenance, replacement parts, and operating costs may transfer to the resident at that time. 

The Program takes participant privacy seriously. Information collected through the Program is used to administer the Program, communicate with participants, and evaluate Program outcomes. 

Water test results will be uploaded to State Water Resources Control Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Groundwater Information System (GAMA GIS) database and will be available for your review.  

Names, addresses, and all other personal contact information will be kept confidential and will NOT be included in any of the published reports or databases. 

No. Participation in this Program does not change the regulatory status of private wells. Private wells are not regulated by the State of California or the Federal Government. Private well owners are responsible to deliver safe drinking water to their households. 

The purpose of the Program is to help private well owners and users better understand their drinking water quality and connect eligible households with resources that can help address drinking water concerns.

Yes. Participation is voluntary.

You may choose whether to enroll in the Program and may discontinue your participation at any time. Choosing not to participate will not affect your eligibility for other services or programs unless specifically stated otherwise.

Under Assembly Bill (AB) 2454, landlords whose rental properties are served by private wells and are located within the service area of a free well testing program may be required to participate in the Program.

The law also requires landlords to share testing results with tenants within 10 days of receiving the results. If testing identifies contaminants that exceed state drinking water standards and the program offers interim drinking water solutions, landlords may also be required to provide safe drinking water to tenants.

Property owners with questions about their responsibilities should contact the Program team for additional guidance.

If your home is served by a private well, you may be eligible to participate in the Program. However, because testing and potential treatment activities may involve the property or well infrastructure, landlord coordination may be necessary.

AB 2454 provides protections related to well water testing and notification requirements for tenants and landlords. If you are interested in participating, contact the Program team to discuss your specific situation and the enrollment process.

Yes. Renters may be eligible to participate, but coordination with the property owner may be required depending on the Program activity being conducted.

Both property owners and tenants are encouraged to work together to ensure Program requirements are met and that water quality information is shared appropriately.

Just because water looks, smells, and tastes fine does not mean water is free of contaminants. Even water that appears clean may contain substances that could affect your health over time. Testing provides valuable information about your water quality and can help you make informed decisions to protect yourself and your household.

Participants will be provided resources and training on operation and maintenance needs and the contact information for service providers. 

Participants will receive information about the potential drinking water quality risks if treatment is removed to support the household in making an informed decisions about decommissioning the treatment system. 

The treatment system would then be removed, and plumbing will be restored to the state before the system was implemented. 

No. Water testing results are provided so you can make informed decisions about your drinking water.

If contaminants are identified, the next phase is to enroll you in bottled water services (provided by the Program) and further evaluate whether a household water treatment system may be a solution to address the contaminants found in your water. However, participants are generally not required to install treatment or remain in the Program.