California waters are becoming cleaner, safer
SM PIER Californians are seeing cleaner beaches these days but the water in parts of the Santa Monica Bay is still better left undipped, especially around the Santa Monica Pier.
The 18th annual Beach Report Card, released by environmental watchdog Heal the Bay on Wednesday, showed that Los Angeles County beaches are still among the dirtiest, while the state as a whole tells a pret-tier story, showing the best water quality on record.
The Santa Monica-based organization rated water quality at more than 500 beaches statewide, assessing grades based on adverse health risk to swimmers, the report card showing that the majority of beaches receiving an A or B in dry weather.
“These are the best dry weather grades since the report went statewide,” Mark Gold, Heal the Bay president, said.
But beaches locally continue to post poor results, L.A. County being home to five of the top 10 lowest-rated beaches in the report card. The Santa Monica Pier ranks second on the list of the “Top 10 Beach Bummers,” just behind Avalon Harbor Beach on Catalina Island.
The pier was found to be the most polluted beach in the bay, which is defined as being between Leo Carillo to Palos Verdes. The report criticized Santa Monica City Hall for not doing enough to clean up what is considered to be one of the most beach popular destinations in Southern California.
Residents in 2006 passed a parcel tax for stormwater pollution prevention. Improvements in the results are expected once City Hall completes the pier storm drain rehabilitation project, which is expected in 2010. The $4 million project involves replacing outdated storm drains underneath the pier and “increasing the size of the pier diversion to the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Reuse Facility,” the report states.
“For the people of California and Santa Monica, the idea to go to the beach and get sick is nuts,” Councilmember Bobby Shriver said. “For this to be the worst beach in the state is outrageous.”
But the beaches in the county have experienced some improvement in the past year, approximately 71 percent receiving an A or B grades, up from 57 percent last year.
The bad grades can be attributed to a change in the monitoring program in the county, collecting samples directly from the front of storm drains and creeks, called “point zero.” L.A. County is among the first in the state to test at the mouth of storm drains in creeks, a popular play area for children.
The testing program is one that Heal the Bay is calling on other counties and cities to adopt uniform monitoring procedures.
“Everyone should sample in front of point zero because (children) swim in front of point zero on the beach,” Gold said.
A team of experts tested beaches for bacteria between April 2007 and March of this year, locations receiving both wet and dry weather grades. A failing grade means that swimmers are more susceptible to illnesses like ear infections, the stomach flu and skin rash.
The discrepancy in water quality can also be seen in comparing weather conditions at the same location, approximately 26 percent of beaches receiving a failing grade in wet weather. Approximately 93 percent of beaches in the state received an A or B during the high-traffic summer season.
“You can see a dramatic difference in the quality during dry weather,” Gold said.
Among the most affected by pollution are surfers like Michael Blum, a member of the Malibu Surfing Association.
“We are the people in the water regularly... we are the people who get sick, we are the people that feel the fallout from pollution in the beaches,” he said.
Mark Abramson, the director of watershed programs for the Santa Monica Baykeeper, said that nearly three decades after the passage of the Clean Water Act, he found it ridiculous that there are still water quality violations being committed by the county.
The organization is currently involved in a lawsuit against both the county and the city of Malibu.
“California residents have repeatedly said they wanted clean water,” Abramson said. “They voted on several occasions for clean water but the people in charge of protecting those constituents are dragging their feet beyond belief and it’s just not acceptable.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 22, 2008. Read the original PDF.