Malibu Official Cited for Illegal Waste-Water System

A Malibu city councilwoman-elect who is an outspoken foe of Los Angeles County’s plans to build a controversial sewer system in the community has been cited by the county for installing an illegal waste-water disposal system at her home.

However, a county health official said this week that Councilwoman Carolyn Van Horn had complied with an order to disconnect the system and that no further action would be taken.

“I would say that is the end of it,” said county health officer Behzad R. Saleh.

Van Horn said she was trying to reduce household water consumption by piping washing machine waste water to an outdoor storage drum for use in watering her lawn rather than disposing of it in a septic tank.

Saleh, who cited Van Horn after an unannounced inspection of her property Jan. 10, said that county law prohibits dumping waste water on the ground. Left uncorrected, such a violation is punishable as a misdemeanor, Saleh said.

“I was simply trying to do my bit for water conservation during the drought,” Van Horn said. “I had no idea that what I was doing might be illegal.”

At the time of the inspection, Van Horn was attending a hearing of the California Coastal Commission in Marina del Rey, where the future of the sewer system was discussed, she said. Saleh said he inspected the property after his office received a complaint from an anonymous tipster.

All five members of Malibu’s unofficial City Council are on record as opposing the county’s proposed $43-million sewer system, saying that it is a prelude to widespread development of the Malibu coast. County officials contend the sewer system is needed for health reasons, citing pollution caused by leaking septic tanks.

Van Horn said she decided to try to use waste water to irrigate her one-acre property on Point Dume “as a means of doing something personally to try to cope with the drought.

“The last thing I expected was to get a notice that I had violated the law on this.”

Van Horn said that she does not think the citation was politically motivated, but called it curious that copies of the complaint and citation were mailed anonymously to The Times and at least one local newspaper. As public documents, copies are available upon request at the Health Department’s Malibu office, Saleh said.

“It’s obvious that someone is trying to embarrass me,” Van Horn said. “But I’m not embarrassed. Maybe just a little disappointed, if that’s what living in the spotlight as a public official is going to be like.”