Big economic interests have invested heavily in convincing residents of California, and Santa Barbara in particular, that we are running out of water.

The policies they have pushed create a feeling of anxiety that rises to panic in many people. Imposition of 20% to 35% reductions on urban water use have led to the belief that any expenditure is appropriate to keep the drought from our doors. What is ignored is that California is always in a drought, or coming out of a drought.