Report Urges Stricter Rule on Treatment of Sewage

In a move that could spur a $160-million upgrading of the city of Los Angeles’ sewage disposal system, the state Regional Water Quality Control Board’s staff recommended Monday that the city be forced to fully treat the 410 million gallons of sewage it dumps daily into Santa Monica Bay.

Currently, less than 25% of that waste receives such full secondary treatment--removal of enough chemicals and bacteria to make waste water usable for irrigation--before being dumped into the bay from the Hyperion sewage treatment plant in El Segundo.

The remainder receives even less treatment--just enough to remove solids before it is dumped through an outfall pipe five miles offshore.

The staff recommendation would deny a city-requested waiver of federal clean water standards that require all sewage dumped into the bay to receive full secondary treatment. The eight-member board, which is scheduled to consider the waiver Nov. 25, has usually followed its staff recommendations.

Unified Effort Planned

On Monday, city and state officials--who have warred for years over the amount of treatment sewage should undergo--pledged to work together to win maximum federal and state funds for the plant improvements that would be necessary if the board denies the waiver.

James Grossman, chairman of the regional board, told Deputy Mayor Tom Houston that the board report would include specific findings about needed sewer system improvements. Both Grossman and Houston said the findings will strengthen the city’s hand in obtaining funds.

The promise of a coordinated fight for federal and state grants won praise from both sides, given the vitriolic battles the two sides have fought over sewage disposal.

Since the early 1970s, Los Angeles has demanded a waiver from the strict federal dumping standards, saying that the Pacific Ocean’s deep canyons and strong currents dilute sewage and make extensive treatment unnecessary.

City officials also had argued repeatedly that full secondary treatment would be enormously costly and provide only a slim environmental benefit.

But in an abrupt turnaround that caught state and federal officials by surprise, Mayor Tom Bradley in September called for full secondary treatment.

He has not explained why he changed his mind. But that change comes as Bradley, a Democrat, moves toward a probable 1986 gubernatorial rematch against Republican Gov. George Deukmejian in a campaign in which the environment is expected to be a prominent issue.