Do you ever wonder what happens to the trash that is thrown away? Find out by taking a free tour of the Tajiguas Landfill or the South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station (SCRTS) conducted by the County of Santa Barbara Public Works Department, Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division.

Thanks to a Federal agency grant to the Santa Barbara County Water Agency, more County residents than ever before are now eligible to apply for rebates to help subsidize certain costs for renovating lawns and gardens to become more drought-tolerant.

In celebration of America Recycles Day on November 15, the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department encourages community members to increase their recycling efforts by visiting www.LessIsMore.org, the region's ultimate recycling and waste reduction resource.

Public Works Director to be Honored with California State Association of Counties Circle of Service Award

The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department supports alternatives to throwing food scraps and yard waste into your trash; which will currently be landfilled. Sam Dickinson, Program Specialist with the Department, explains that, "When you compost at home, leftover food scraps and plant materials are naturally recycled into nutrient-rich compost for your garden - keeping valuable resources out of the landfill." This is a great way for you to reduce your environmental impact. Organics that enter landfills release potent methane gas, which negatively contributes to climate change.

Tired of seeing those old paint cans in the garage or that old jug of used motor oil in the back shed? Bring them to an upcoming household hazardous waste collection event. The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department is holding two events this fall – on Saturday, October 4 in New Cuyama and on Sunday, October 5 in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has directed the County Water Agency to undertake a study of local water supply options available now and into the future.

The largest volunteer cleanup event in Santa Barbara County had another successful year. Over 1,074 volunteers came together at over 25 separate sites from Rincon Beach Park to Guadalupe Dunes to do their part to clean up our local beaches, rivers, creeks and parks. Over 3,864 pounds of trash and 831 pounds of recyclables were collected and prevented from entering our ocean and waterways.

Santa Barbara County residents will join hundreds of thousands of participants worldwide in clearing trash and debris from our beaches, shorelines, and inland waterways during this year's international Coastal Cleanup Day

Third District Supervisor Doreen Farr is pleased to announce the construction of a fourphase sidewalk project to improve pedestrian safety and mobility.

The Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District and the Santa Barbara County Water Agency would like the public to be aware that water will soon be released into the Santa Ynez River from Lake Cachuma's Bradbury Dam.

Sheriff's Office Announces Results of Deltopia Investigation. Investigators Arrest Eight Suspects Associated with Violent Event

Construction of the Clark Avenue Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Improvements Begins July 7, 2014

Construction of the Miscellaneous Concrete Repair Project. In the Second Supervisorial District, To Begin July 7, 2014

Countywide Preventive Maintenance Application of Scrub Seal and Micro-Surfacing Project is scheduled to begin June 23, 2014

Construction of Black Road Bridge at Orcutt Creek Begins May 19, 2014

The Santa Barbara County Flood Control District is pleased to announce that a Completion Ceremony will be held on Friday May 16, 2014 to recognize the completion of the improvements made to the Santa Maria River Levee.

Construction of Black Road Bridge at Orcutt Creek Begins May 19, 2014

The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department supports alternatives to throwing food scraps and yard waste into the landfill.

Construction begins April 28, 2014 to replace the bridge on Cathedral Oaks Road located immediately west of Turnpike Road near the entrance to Tucker's Grove Park.

It was a record year for the 2014 Water Wise High School Video Contest with 20 videos submitted from 9 different high schools across the County, the most participation in the contest's 15-year history. The video contest, sponsored annually by the Santa Barbara County Water Agency and partnering water providers from across the County, requires participating students to create 30 second videos about water conservation.

Construction of the County's pavement rehabilitation project on Hollister Avenue in the Second Supervisorial District is scheduled to begin on April 10, 2014. This $1 million dollar project will rehabilitate approximately four lane miles on Hollister Avenue using a process called cold-in-place recycling, which mills the existing asphalt concrete pavement, combines it with new emulsifiers, and places it back on the roadway.

With spring upon us, it's time to get serious about cleaning up around the house. Tired of seeing those old paint cans in the garage or old jugs of used motor oil in the back shed? Bring them to Santa Barbara County's next Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection Event on Sunday, April 6 at the Santa Ynez Valley Recycling and Transfer Station, located at 4004 Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos.

The Santa Barbara County Water Agency is announcing that voting is underway for a "People's Choice Award" for the annual 2014 Water Wise High School Video Contest. The public is invited to view online the twenty 30-second videos submitted. Anyone with a Facebook account can vote for their favorite videos by "liking" one or more videos on the Contest's Facebook page, accessible through the www.WaterWiseSB.org home page before the April 18 deadline.

The recent rainfall in Santa Barbara County has been most welcome but it has not been nearly enough to end the drought. This winter remains among the three driest winters in 100 years of rainfall record-keeping in the County. This dry winter is the third dry winter in a row, with 2013 having been the driest calendar year on record across most of California.

In this time of emergency drought conditions, the Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division of the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department wants to remind everyone about our great mulch program that can greatly reduce the need for water for your plants, gardens and trees.