Over the past few decades, the District and our customers have seen just how unpredictable our surface water supplies are during times of drought, with our State Water Project and Lake Cachuma allocations becoming extremely variable and unreliable. When faced with limited surface water, we have become highly dependent on pumping groundwater from the Carpinteria Groundwater Basin to deliver water to your tap. However, groundwater takes years to recharge and requires steady and consistent winter rain which is never guaranteed.