While the distinguished panel agreed that Malibu’s water quality problem must be solved, no new ground was forged in the direction of a solution.
By Steven Genson/Special to The Malibu Times
The Malibu Water Quality Conference on Saturday at Pepperdine University brought together a distinguished panel including officials from the state, county and city to discuss and address water quality problems in Malibu. However, despite a cordial meeting, unusual for agencies usually at odd with each other, the workshop failed to come up with solid solutions on how to prevent repeated failing grades for local water quality.
The workshop, called “Coastal Pollution and Water Quality in Malibu-Avoiding the Fs and Getting the As,” was jointly sponsored by the city of Malibu, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission.
California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Terry Tamminen, the keynote speaker, set the tone by addressing the historical degradation of Malibu’s water quality. He added that residents of the community should be participants and not spectators when it comes to fixing this environmental crisis. He concluded on an optimistic note declaring, “Zero is the right answer to pollution.”
Mayor Sharon Barovsky helped open the conference to the packed auditorium stating, “There may be some disagreements but the point [of the conference] is opening some dialogue.”
The eight-member panel agreed with Tamminen’s assertion that individual members of the community need to take the initiative to improve the water quality. Panelist Mark Gold, executive director of Heal the Bay, chimed in saying that people needed to “stop pointing fingers and start looking in the mirror.”
As each panelist made their opening comments, the audience could see a common thread weaving from one speaker to the next: failing to address the water quality problem effectively and efficiently is only going to make it worse, and the time for action is now. “To allow the Malibu coastline to deteriorate is unthinkable,” implored panelist H. David Nahai of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. Panelist Steve Soboroff, business owner and President of Playa Vista, repeatedly stressed that Malibu must “do the right thing, the right way.”
Susan Cloke, vice chair of the Los Angeles RWQCB, presented the problems facing the community, detailing the various causes of water pollution in the area. Poorly maintained and inefficient septic systems, urban runoff, high mercury, lead and copper levels; and poor disposal of fecal matter (i.e. horse and dog wastes) were some of the sources cited. Although upper watershed runoff into Malibu Creek from the cities of Calabasas and Agoura Hills, and the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District are cited by some as points of pollution in Malibu, Saturday’s workshop focused solely on Malibu.
Each member in the audience received a packet of information about what individuals can do to improve the water quality of the entire community. Leaflets contained information such as a homeowner’s guide for maintaining clean water, details of the Clean Water Program, a FAQ on septic system permits, and a listing of Malibu’s current initiatives to improving water quality.
The panel’s discussion was cordial and flowing seamlessly until the question and answer portion of the conference began. When a member of the audience asked Gold and Soboroff what key elements they would like to see changed in water quality of wastewater, City Manager Katie Lichtig intervened to rebut accusations of failing to address the water quality issue.
Gold proposed dealing with multifamily and commercial wastewater in new ways such as installing a wastewater management utility. He added that additional monitoring should also take place. Lichtig interjected, arguing that Malibu’s current Wastewater Management Action Plan already addresses these issues.
In response to Gold’s comments at the conference, the City Council recommended at its meeting Monday that city staff meet with Heal the Bay about their ideas regarding wastewater in Malibu.
Moderator Fran Diamond, chair of the Los Angeles RWQCB, transitioned to the next question before the panel could diverge into a time-consuming squabble.
Malibu programs in existence to deal with water quality include the Clean Water Program, which is a combination of solving stormwater runoff problems and educating businesses and residents on how to purge coastal water pollution, and the Integrated Waste Management Program. Malibu works with neighboring cities to reduce solid waste in the local area landfills.
Audience questions and comments ranged widely from trying to obtain basic knowledge like the practical impacts on residents to spontaneous shouts from some attendees accusing local commercial properties of illegal wastewater dumping.
Results of the city’s Wastewater Advisory Committee’s wastewater risk assessment will be discussed on May 20 at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting is open to the public.