L.A. County Beaches Report Card: Interactive Map

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 01:17 pm

A rare flare up of high bacteria counts inside of Little Dume! A failing beach grade, from what? Bird droppings? Of course not. It would be constructive if the City could work with the test data results and investigate what the source is of poor test results and what to do about correcting the problem.

hellwood September 22, 2012 at 02:33 pm

thanks for bringing this up. enterococcus is commonly found on seaweed due to natural processes. heal the bays plan to screw everybody with their TMDLs will surely backfire when this evidence is presented at the water board meeting, as cities can be unfairly fined as a result.

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 04:13 pm

Toxic Soup at Escondido Beach?
Bob Perkins DDSSep 16, 2011 "There was a strong smell of sewage in the water." ( Read Patch Article ) Failing beach grades may not always be a result of naturally occurring bacteria . Naturally occurring bacteria's do not cause surfers to be hospitalized for eye and ear infections, gastronomical disorders or viruses that feed on heart tissues. Coxsackie B4 virus is human feces sourced pathogen. Failing septics could partially be the blame for poor water quality but the anti sewer crowd will point in every other direction even if they know they are not entirely being truthful about sepitcs. Go figure right? Sewers do not equal development. They equal proper treatment of sewage disposal. http://www.nrdc.org/media/2012/120413.asp

John Mazza September 22, 2012 at 05:30 pm

What are you talking about ? Zumirez Drive extension /Little Dume did not fail. It is a purple marker which means that not test was taken. Do not bad mouth septic systems unless you have some evidence. You are doing is what they are doing down at the civic center to make an excuse for a sewer. The city is putting in a $600,000 drain filter at the end of Wildlife to clean runoff.

hellwood September 22, 2012 at 05:38 pm

escondido got a "B". if the septics were as bad as you claim, malibu wouldnt have an "A" average. even two "F's" cant knock the average down because 50% of the scores were "A+". Only two "F" ratings(no "C's or "D's"), with no knowledge of the source, whether its the seaweed, human waste, or some other unknown is hardly a reason to push the sewer agenda. This is why we will be addressing the BS TMDL's, and eliminate natural bacteria from being a variable that could fail a beach. in this age of technology, sewers are a step backwards

hellwood September 22, 2012 at 05:47 pm

...and out of the astronomical numbers of surfers who have surfed in Malibu over the last 50 years, how many have gotten any of these life threatening sicknesses? After you do your calculations, you will find that swimming in a pool, or touching a door knob is more dangerous.

Mark Hayes September 22, 2012 at 07:07 pm

CeCe,How does a self describe public relations person know so much about septic systems?

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 08:13 pm

Mark,
Pardon me for asking but what does one have to do with the other? Here's the answer anyway ( and don't let the P.R. - or the blonde fool you ) I do my homework sitting next to and consulting with the veteran Malibu surfer I live with - who by the way is extremely knowledgable about the environment, the Malibu water quality and the DESPERATE need to prevent himself and others from getting ill at Surfrider or any other beach with degraded water quality.

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 08:22 pm

Exactly John.
The reason for the drain filter is because? Maybe because there's a PROBLEM? Like perhaps high bacteria counts? It's failing this week - AGAIN - in the DRY season. Why would the City need to spend $600,000 on a drain filter to clean the run-off to begin with? For kicks? There's a history here. The marker for the WILDLIFE outfall has a red flag. Red flags are a fail. Look behind the purple flag and that's where the red flag for WILDLIFE is ( hiding - but it's there ).

Mark Hayes September 22, 2012 at 08:28 pm

Thats what I thought.

John Mazza September 22, 2012 at 08:49 pm

Cece
If you zoom in on the map you will see that the failure is at Paradise Cove and we all should have a good guess at what that is all about.. As Bob Dylan said " you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows ."

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 09:35 pm

The Patch map says "Walnut creek, Projection of Wildlife Road". Half way between Zumirez and the Paradise Cove Pier. The Heal the Bay map is also calling this Walnut Creek, Wildlife Projection. Regardless, it shows a health failure with a red flag.
1.5 million visitors a month, to Malibu, leaving 1000's of gallons of their waste in overloaded septic systems and leech fields. Realistically, do you really think we can absorb and continue injecting an increasing amount of human waste into our over saturated coastal high water table geology? I mean really? Mere logic can't even support this theory.

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 09:44 pm

Any one who knows me, knows I'm definitely not a "yes" person. As with any subject, or client, I do my research. So whatever "that's what I thought" means hopefully you were considering that when you posted your comment and not assuming that the surfer I live with is my only source of information.

hellwood September 22, 2012 at 10:12 pm

careful Cece. you are bringing attention to the million dollar a month establishment close by. you should have left it alone after my seaweed theory

Hans Laetz September 22, 2012 at 10:16 pm

Sorry John, the HTB web site has a better map, and it most definitely gives "Walnut Creek, projection of Wildlife Road" an F.
"Paradise Cove Pier" has an A plus, this time. This appears to be unusual, no? But Cece, the answer to your question is yes, human waste can safely be disposed of by septic tanks if the local aquifer is not overloaded. Something is unusual this time at Walnute Creek/Wildlife. It's been "a" for years, but I remember Dusty Peake used to call the little pond at the bottom of Walnut Creek/Wildlife "the polio pond." Maybe this is an anamoly. But the fact is -- most of Malibu does very well with septics/OWTS.

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 10:28 pm

Hellwood,
Should I feel threatened because I am speaking the truth? Well, I don't.

Cece Stein September 22, 2012 at 10:30 pm

Absolutely Hans,
You know I agree I with you on most everything. The "if the septic is not overloaded" is a big "IF" is it not? Point Dume has a very lateral sand stone geology.

hellwood September 22, 2012 at 11:46 pm

heal the bay better pray that it is from the restaurant, and not the seaweed

Cece Stein September 23, 2012 at 02:10 pm

Most of Malibu DOES do very well with Septic/OWTS. It is the low lying areas where high water tables meet tidal and creek hydraulics, where geologies don't properly percolate and where inadequately sized leechfields ooze off the coastal bluffs from houses built out over the ocean. Unfortunately, Malibu is no longer entirely a sparsely populated patch quilt of cattle ranches, farms and equestrian corrals. Parts of Malibu have already become urban and has passed the tipping point from a rural backwater coastal community. When you consider Malibu's own Rodeo Dr./Cross Creek, the Colony Plaza/ Ralphs shopping Center, the Civic Center, the business strip east of Jack in the Box, the hotels ,the restaurants ( which include TWO new big one right on the ocean ), the high concentrations of apartments and condos, the wall to wall blockade of residences along the beach and add to that 1.5 million visitors a month and growing, you have to question how many more years do we try to ignore the stench of human waste wafting up through parking lot manhole covers and low tide walks along the beach. At what point do we ignore public health issues because of our dislike of more commercial over development?

Cece Stein September 23, 2012 at 02:11 pm

The newer septic systems are technologically more advanced but still do not degrade all household cleansers or emit zero levels of chlorine into the groundwater. If there is going to be a steady progression towards better water quality we need to at least upgrade the 100's of outdated systems along coastal bluff sides, Malibu Road and PCH along eastern Malibu.

John Mazza September 23, 2012 at 05:41 pm

Polio pond is at the end (beach side) of the creek between Wildlife and Greyfox
(below Dave Anawalt's house) not the end of Zumirez and Wildlife (Walnut Creek) which is not where the map shows the F. Zoom in and you will see that the F is between Zumirez and Paradise Cove which is a drainage that comes across the highway where the condos are located. .

marie September 24, 2012 at 12:45 am

Ditto what Mark said.

Wendi Werner September 24, 2012 at 02:09 am

The new water quality science will be posted soon.

Hans Laetz September 24, 2012 at 10:19 am

I am sorry but I must point out, that if you go to the HTB web site, a pop up box defines the F grade as at "Walnut Creek, projection of Wildlife Road." I defer to your experience about exactly where polio pond was/is.

M Stanley September 24, 2012 at 11:07 am

The location of "F" rating is adjacent to Paradise Cove, something is either wrong with HTB's labeling or reporting of data. It's not too surprising that there would be an "F" rating given the other problems noted with the increased use of the facilities as outlined here on Patch and in council meetings IF the Heal the Bay reporting can be verified and trusted. Add this "F" rating to the list of issues being discussed/negotiated with mgmt of Paradise Cove?

Hans Laetz September 24, 2012 at 12:08 pm

I investigated this and it appears John and Mari are correct. Either the HTB site is mislabeled in the data field, or it is mislabelled on the topo map at brc.healthebay.org . The topographic map showing the "Wildlife Road" collection point is mapped at the mouth of the canyon east of Zumirez and west of the Paradise Cove Mesa, a good two blocks east of "projection of Wildlife Road."

Cece Stein September 24, 2012 at 01:28 pm

Yes.. The labeling of Walnut Creek is half correct, but no matter where the fail is, a fail still exists. Like John Mazza says, A condo complex is just upstream. Hummmm... Not only should we know that a beach does not pass health standards for our protection but shouldn't we know why a test fails and what the source is? This way we don't have finger pointing without the facts nor arguments whether the source is seaweed or human sourced. It would be great if the city did a follow up investigation into these test failures.

John Mazza September 24, 2012 at 01:48 pm

The county is currently doing a study of outfalls that go into the protected zone. As I remember there are 28 of them.They have flow meters in several of the creeks on Pt. Dume including Walnut Creek. Eventually the polluters and those who have illegally stripped the ESHA next to the creek to plant vineyards and orchards will be busted.

Cece Stein September 24, 2012 at 02:21 pm

But what about the outfalls that don't flow into the protected zones? If the County is the only agency doing pollution studies that affect the protected zones, shouldn't the city be investigating the other outfalls outside the protected zones? If the City can't be trusted to bust its own violators because of possible conflict of interests, then maybe we have to expect that the Big Boys at the Regional Water Board to step in take over thus loosing our power and credibility to be responsible stewards .

M Grimmer September 24, 2012 at 02:22 pm

Hey Everybody, I've removed the "projection of Wildlife Rd" label from the location description in question on Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card website. The map icon location (and grade) is correct but the label was incorrect. Thanks for pointing this out. The County refers to it as simply "In front of Walnut Creek, Malibu " so i've modified our description to reflect that.
We keep track of almost 500 locations on a weekly basis and appreciate the feedback/corrections. I'll make sure that the Patch editor gets the updated location description for next week's Patch map. thanks again, M Grimmer beachreportcard.org