Environmental organizations warn watergoers not to enter the ocean following the recent rains. Heal the Bay says this year was the worst for water quality levels.
By Laila Kearney / Special to The Malibu Times
The recent rains that deluged Malibu and surrounding areas have contributed to increased pollution of local waters, posing a series of potential health hazards for beachgoers, ranging from bacterial infections that could cause a common cold to full body rashes. This has prompted nonprofit environmental organizations such as Heal the Bay and the Natural Resource Defense Council to issue warnings to surfers and others watergoers not to enter ocean waters, especially near storm drains, for at least three days after rainfall.
“There is a lot of uncertainty,” said James Alamillo, Heal the Bay’s Urban Programs manager, about the coastal health question. “It’s critical that people understand that there are elevated health risks after rain storms.”
The warnings come on the heel of what Heal the Bay calls the worst water quality levels in years.
“Heavy rains, coupled with unusually high fecal bacteria levels, have reversed the water quality trend of cleaner local beaches,” according to a press release issued Tuesday by Heal the Bay.
The organization planned to hold a press conference Wednesday to discuss findings that are included in Heal the Bay’s annual “End of Summer Beach Report Card.”
“This summer, L.A. County beaches were the most polluted in the state,” according to Heal the Bay, which stated that “local municipalities risk enforcement action under the Clean Water Act if our beaches fail to meet state water quality standards by July 31, 2006.”
The recent rains caused flow from storm drains, sewage systems and watersheds that have collected debris over several months, sending them straight to the sea, Alamillo said, contributing to higher levels of bacteria in ocean waters and sand.
“The area to be most concerned about is where storm drains are letting out,” Alamillo said.
Malibu’s popular Surfrider Beach gets a direct flow from the Malibu Lagoon. The lagoon is one of the largest watersheds in Los Angeles County, spanning out to Calabasas, Westlake Village and beyond, he said.
On a recently posted Heal the Bay Beach Report Card, Surfrider received a failing grade.
However, the negative report does not seem to deter the many surfers who frequent Surfrider Beach.
“What makes Malibu’s Surfrider such a great break is the lagoon to a certain point,” Alamillo said.
Adhering to stricter enforcement of storm drain runoff, the city of Malibu attempts to provide cleaner bays by filtering water previous to its entering the lagoon.
“The city is very proactive and before the rainy season, we clean the storm drains,” said Yugal Lall, Malibu’s Public Works director.
Still, the city’s measures cannot eradicate all water pollution. The Malibu Lagoon is too vast to address both upstream and downstream contaminants, Alamillo said.
The most effective way of avoiding ocean-related health risks is to abstain from entering ocean waters during the rainy season. However, this is not an option for many wave enthusiasts.
“Short of not going in, stay up beyond the wave wash,” Alamillo recommended.
Besides refraining from going into the water, Heal the Bay suggests at least a three-day waiting period after rainfall before reentering.
Beachgoers can also protect themselves by washing their hands after contact with the seawater or sand, and possibly wearing ear and nose guards while in the water.
Experts advise to steer clear of runoffs as much as possible. As Alamillo explained, eventually contaminated water “has nowhere else to go but the ocean.”