Future of beaches lies in a long-term solution

Eron Ben-Yehuda

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- With bacteria levels remaining within state standards

for the most part, warning signs posted along Huntington State Beach

could be removed as early as today, health officials said.

“We may take down some of them,” said Dr. Hildy Meyers, an epidemioligist

at the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Tests of the surf zone show only “isolated hits” of higher than

acceptable contamination, said Larry Honeybourne, who oversees water

quality for the agency.

“The sample results have looked pretty darn good,” he said.

The quest continues, though, for the source of the bacteria with urban

runoff still considered the most likely suspect, he said.

The Orange County Sanitation District ruled out its own sewage system

after results from a dye test last week found no leaks in an outfall pipe

that releases treated waste water five miles out to sea, spokeswoman

Michele Tuchman said.

After spending three months and $1.25 million, the district will no

longer serve as the lead agency searching for the cause of the ocean

pollution, she said.

“We have exhausted all our investigative efforts,” she said. “Everything

has checked out perfectly.”

If runoff is to blame then residents shouldn’t expect a quick fix, she

said.

“It probably will require a long term solution,” she said.

The city will do its part by spending almost $1 million for a long range

plan that includes eliminating Talbert Marsh as a potential source of

future contamination from runoff, city consultant Dennis MacLain said.

The cost of controlling runoff may sound high, but that beats a repeat of

last summer’s disaster when officials closed more than 4 miles of beach

during peak tourist season, City Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff said.

Are more strenuous water-quality requirements a good idea? Leave us your

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