Local News in Brief : Water Pump Ineffective
A $60,000 water circulation pump installed by the county two months ago so far has failed to reduce pollution that has kept Marina del Rey’s only public beach closed since October.
The pump was expected to help reduce fecal bacteria counts to safe levels, allowing the county to reopen the beach to swimmers and windsurfers by the end of April. But county officials now say it is unlikely that anyone will be allowed to enter the waters before the end of June.
The beach was closed by county health officials when a sewage spill at the nearby Hyperion Sewage Treatment Plant contaminated beaches up and down the Santa Monica Bay coast. Bacteria returned to safe levels within several days at every beach except the one at Marina del Rey.
The pump, placed in 10 to 15 feet of water, circulates the water and mixes in air from the surface to add oxygen, which can retard the growth of the bacteria. Although it is now operating correctly, the equipment has been shut down numerous times since its installation, officials said.
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