Vic Trace Reservoir to Receive Updated, Resilient Design

The City of Santa Barbara has awarded contracts for the environmental and design phases of the Vic Trace Reservoir Replacement Project. This is a significant step toward ensuring a safe, resilient water delivery system for the community now and in the future. Located in the Alta Mesa neighborhood, this ten-million-gallon reservoir is a vital component of the City's water distribution system, serving nearly 60,000 customers or approximately 70% of Santa Barbara's population.

Now in its seventh decade, the aging reservoir is nearing the end of its useful life, requiring constant repair and maintenance work. This multi-year project aims to address this by constructing a new reservoir of the same capacity. Nearby pipelines, valves, and pump stations will also be evaluated for repair and replacement. The project fortifies reliability against natural disasters and climate change-related issues, while also improving water quality, and system operations for all of Santa Barbara.

Additionally, the City is taking action to enhance security measures across all its water infrastructure sites to comply with federal regulations and further safeguard the City's water supply. To prepare for the upcoming design and construction phases, the City has proactively facilitated the removal of leased communication and radio facilities located onsite. These facilities are within the anticipated demolition and construction footprint of the future buried reservoirs. The City has worked closely with several partners to successfully dismantle the 45-foot-tall cellular tower onsite and is actively assisting other onsite parties with the transition of the remaining facilities to new locations.

The City anticipates hosting a community design workshop as early as winter 2025. To learn more about the project, visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/VicTrace