Activists Open Campaign to Halt Pollution From Drains : Environment: Discovery of human viruses near storm outlet in Santa Monica Bay prompts group’s action.

Alarmed at the discovery of human viruses in the Santa Monica Bay, an environmental group Wednesday kicked off a campaign to urge the public and elected officials to be more aggressive in reducing storm drain pollution.

Heal the Bay drew a crowd of about 100 supporters near the Pico-Kenter storm drain where a portion of the Santa Monica Beach was closed after viruses were detected in runoff flowing into the ocean.

Representatives of the group announced a campaign that will include public service announcements warning of the hazards of illegally dumping in storm drains, English and Spanish-language signs placed at more than 100,000 catch basins telling of a $1,000 penalty for dumping and a “neighborhood watch program” in which volunteers would keep an eye on storm drains and alert authorities to overflowing or malfunctioning catch basins.

“The ocean is strong and we are strong in our beliefs,” Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) told the crowd.

Heal the Bay also called for every city in the county to regulate development to reduce the amount of pollutants and the toxicity of urban runoff entering Santa Monica Bay. Fifteen of the 86 cities in the county have adopted such ordinances, the group claimed.

The organization also wants county health officials to better enforce pollution standards at local beaches, being quicker to close them when necessary. In addition, the group urged the county to post warning signs at all storm drain outlets advising people not to swim within 100 yards of the runoff.

Such signs were placed around the Pico-Kenter storm drain last week after a $125,000 study conducted by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project showed evidence of viruses from human fecal contamination in the drain’s runoff. The report speculated that the most likely sources of the waste are illegal sewage connections, leaking or overflowing sewer lines or the homeless population.

The study involved taking samples on 11 days during a 15-day period last summer from the Pico-Kenter drain, which carries street runoff from Brentwood and Santa Monica. The viruses can cause illnesses ranging from stomach flu to hepatitis.

Mark Gold, a Heal the Bay staff scientist who conducted the study for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project, said he hopes to do similar surveys at other storm drains, including those at Ballona Creek, Malibu Creek and Santa Monica Canyon.

“We need to know how prevalent the problem is,” Gold said.

Los Angeles county health officials have downplayed the situation, but Santa Monica city officials were quick to post large warning signs banning swimming within 100 yards of the storm drain. Buoys were also placed offshore to designate the area where swimming is banned.

On Wednesday, about 130,000 people had flocked to Santa Monica Beach south of the pier, where the temperature was in the mid-70s with a slight ocean breeze, according to county Lifeguard Lt. Ira Gruber.

Gruber said beachgoers were cooperative and stayed out of the water cordoned off by the buoys. Most also chose not to lie on the sand around the storm drain.

Alondra Bryant, visiting from Washington, did lie on the sand near the cordoned-off area. When she went into the water, however, she made sure she was on the other side of the buoys.

“I think it’s good that they put out the signs warning us that the water could be dangerous,” she said. “I probably would have gone into the water right in front if it wasn’t for the signs.”