The Regional Water Quality Control Board would not wait until next spring when several reports are scheduled to be complete. They pulled the trigger on a very expensive and questionable solution before factual data was available. What if they are wrong?
Many of the septic systems they are condemning are thousands of feet from water bodies. A properly functioning septic system treats effluent within a few feet of the absorption field. The soil activity of bacteria, protozoans and other organisms can purify effluent in as little as four feet. Wells for drinking water are permitted 100 feet from septic systems.
The average house water use per day is about 70 gallons a person. Of this, only the toilet is a concern. Washing hands, showers and laundry do not contribute to bacterial release into soil. The beach rating system measures bacteriological levels. The question is what type of bacteria is in the water and where does it come from?
The Malibu Creek Lagoon is a resting place for hundreds of large birds. Pelicans can weigh 30 pounds. They feed on fish, have stomachs and intestines, and often “lighten up” when they take off. That practice cannot be overlooked. The lagoon water often sits for days before the sand bar breaches. The soup of bacteria from birds can build up.
If the board forces tens of million of dollars to be spent and it does not change the water quality, then what? The working systems which people have spent millions on will be abandoned. There will be no refund for money wrongly spent. High rent is already affecting local businesses. The talked about numbers on monthly sewer fees could be the final blow. The pelicans will continue to do their thing as they fly away. Silly science can chalk up another one.
Jim Smith