One More Reason to Clean Up Bay : New findings on human health risk should lead cities to act

The summer beach season is nearly upon us, but unlike in past years, the estimated 50 million tourists and locals who venture into Santa Monica Bay will know that the water in some places is clearly dangerous to their health.

In an unprecedented survey released last week, USC epidemiologist Robert W. Halle and his colleagues found that Santa Monica Bay swimmers who go near storm drains are almost 50% more likely to contract colds, sore throats, fever, diarrhea and other illnesses than those who swim farther away.

A dozen storm drains typically empty into the bay year-round from Malibu to Redondo Beach. Halle and his researchers surveyed more than 15,000 people who went into the water last summer at three bay locations and followed these individuals to determine how many later became ill.

Swimmers and surfers have long reported falling ill after going into the water, and researchers have confirmed the presence of ocean pollution, including human waste, from storm drains. This survey, the first of its kind in the nation, confirms that the bacteria and trash that reach ocean waters through urban storm drains not only pollute the water and threaten ocean life but constitute a measurable health risk to humans.

The good news from the survey is that the health threat is localized. The risk of illness decreases dramatically for those who swim 100 yards or more from the storm drains. Swimmers beyond that perimeter experienced far less illness, perhaps little more than if they had swum in a pool or stayed out of the water altogether.

The survey was commissioned by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project, a consortium of cities, businesses, environmental groups and government agencies. The group saw the study as a means of regaining momentum on bay cleanup and building consensus on an approach. The report seems to be doing just that. County officials have already begun printing new, more strongly worded signs to be posted on the beach near storm drains, emphatically warning bathers of the risk of illness in the water.

Cleanup is a knottier problem. On Tuesday, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan promised to divert more urban runoff within the city to existing sewage treatment facilities, reducing the flow from several storm channels into the bay. But financing this diversion may require a tax increase. Moreover, Riordan’s plan calls for treating runoff during dry weather only; during the rainy season, when the problem is more acute, the volume of runoff would overwhelm the city treatment plant. Nonetheless, it is a welcome step.

The problem is not for Los Angeles to solve alone. Talks have stalled in recent months among the 85 cities in the county that must, under the federal Clean Water Act, reach agreement by July 15 on a plan to reduce storm drain outflow. The bay health study underlines the need for cooperative action--as well as the risks to human health and the region’s economy posed by continued bickering and delay.