By Gabrielle Harradine
Special to the Daily Press

SM BEACH The recent rains in and around Santa Monica have caused more than just headaches on the roads and promenade. The resulting water runoff in the streets ends up picking up oil, heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, litter and bacteria along the way, then streams into the city’s sewers before, eventually, flowing into the ocean via storm drains, creeks or rivers.

It’s enough to make you pray for sun.

The Department of Public Health (DPH) recommends that beach users avoid contact with ocean water, especially near flowing storm drains, creeks and rivers, for three days following rain showers. Currently, the DPH has a rain advisory for all Los Angeles County beaches. The advisory will be in effect until 3:30 p.m. today, but may be extended, depending on further rainfall.

Heal the Bay, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the health of the local watershed, also advises that people stay out of the water.

In highly urbanized areas like Santa Monica, the runoff will make it to the ocean quickly and, therefore, pollute the waters right away, said James Alamillo, a water quality specialist for Heal the Bay. Whereas, in northern parts of Santa Monica Bay where it is less urban, it may take three to four days for runoff to make it into the ocean. In these places, it is suggested to stay out of the water for up to seven days after a rain.

There are several worries in the water after a rain occurs, including bacteria, pathogens and viruses.

The testing used by the city for bacteria takes 18 to 24 hours to achieve a result, so instead of going by current water quality statistics, the agencies and groups concerned base their advisories on data from previous storms. The past tells them that after one-tenth of an inch of rain falls in the city, bacteria levels tend to spike in the ocean water. Hence, this is usually when a rain advisory goes into affect.

The Surfrider Foundation, an organization that also works to protect the coast, has a page on their Web site informing people about water quality before and after a storm.

“Waters that are polluted may contain several different disease-causing organisms, commonly called pathogens,” the site warns. “Enteric pathogens — those that live in the human intestine — can carry or cause a number of infectious diseases.”

Most municipalities, including Los Angeles County, don’t test for viruses because of the cost-effectiveness of the testing. Even so, viruses are believed to be a major cause of swimming-associated diseases, and are responsible for cases of gastroenteritis, hepatitis, respiratory illness, and ear, nose, and throat problems.

Because the water advisories are just that — advisories, watergoers have to decide themselves whether or not they’re willing to take the risk of going into the water. Alamillo, who boogie boards, said he chooses not to go in, but says the information that Heal the Bay offers is important to allow people to make an informed decision as to whether or not they want to go in.

“I surf every morning it’s not raining,” said Jennifer Argenti, an avid surfer . “But I won’t go in now.” Friends of Argenti did go in yesterday, and when they came out after the session, they told her what she missed — “It’s brown and it smells.”

Maybe, the advisories are good advice.

For more information about the health of the water you can go to www.lapublichealth.org/beach/.

news@smdp.com