Coliform Water Testing Is Ongoing

* Regarding “Beach Water Pollution Tests May Resume,” May 15: The announcement that the Orange County Environmental Management Agency, in conjunction with the Orange County Health Care Agency will resume a weekly ocean water-quality monitoring program that was discontinued because of the bankruptcy is good news for all of us that use our beautiful beaches. However, the Surfrider Foundation’s comments describing their members’ “frustration and disgust” (about the water testing program being discontinued) and comments that “there is no question, we need some kind of water testing,” make it appear that no coliform testing has been going on since the bankruptcy, and that public health is at risk.

Your readers should know that since the bankruptcy, there have been several ocean water testing programs in place independent of the discontinued county program. The Orange County Sanitation Districts, the Aliso Water Management Agency and the South East Regional Reclamation Authority have continued their surf-zone monitoring programs along almost all of the county’s 42-mile coastline.

The Orange County Sanitation Districts is glad to hear that the county is resuming its program. In fact, we have traditionally relied on the county testing program to supplement ours. The message to your readers should be clarified that beach monitoring for coliform bacteria didn’t stop during the bankruptcy, and that sanitation agencies are the real watchdogs preventing pollution along our beaches.

PATRICK McNELLY

Communications director

Orange County Sanitation Districts