This is a new biweekly series by Mayor Laura Rosenthal on issues that will affect residents. This column will alternate with her “Ask the Mayor” column.
Update on the last “Ask the Mayor” column about sewers in the Civic Center:
There have been concerns about the method that the City is exploring to disperse any excess treated wastewater that cannot be recycled. Here are some facts.
1. The water will be injected at a shallow depth (less than 150 feet). This is too shallow to affect the faults in the area. The Youngstown, Ohio and Rocky Mountain Arsenal events used injection to depths of 9,000 to 12,000 feet, with very high injection pressures, and deep into the bedrock layers.
2. The injected water will not be injected at high pressure and will not fracture the bedrock. The water will flow to the Pacific Ocean above the bedrock, following the ancient (and now buried) streambed that Malibu Creek followed over 10,000 years ago.
3. Extensive and similar groundwater injection has been occurring along the Los Angeles County coast since 1953 without incident, nor disturbance of nearby faults. There are about 290 injection wells at depths of 100 to 450 feet operating without incident.
4. The amount of water to be injected in Malibu will vary up to a maximum of 560 acre-ft per year, depending upon recycle use and number of connected properties. The Los Angeles County wells alone inject about 30,000 acre-ft per year without incident.
5. The EIR for the project will include this type of geotechnical/ geophysical analysis.
Traffic updates:
The Coastal Interceptor Relief Sewer (CIRS) project that has been causing traffic jams near Will Rogers State Beach is moving along and the overall project is projected to be completed by the fall of this year. Updates for all projects can be found at www.PCHPartners.org or at www.smgov.net/bebp. The California Incline construction project’s draft Environmental Impact Report is out and it appears that the project won’t begin until mid 2013. Starting this spring and lasting for 6-8 weeks, the right hand turn lane unto Temescal Canyon, traveling north on PCH, will be closed from 8 to 5 p.m. This is for a stormwater project.
NEWS:
Saturday, March 10 – Voter Registration Drive & Passport Processing Day at Bluffs Park/Michael Landon Center, 11-3 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Register to vote and also apply for passports for the entire family. Last day to register to vote for the upcoming Malibu City Council election is March 26.
March 22, 6 to 9 p.m., Malibu City Hall. “Healthy Homes: A Better Standard for Green Living & Healthy Remodel Conversations.” The City of Malibu is hosting a panel discussion on the dangers of environmental and construction material toxins found in homes and buildings.