Beach Is Overdue for a Cleanup

Ten months of trying has failed to determine the source of the fecal contamination that recently earned Ventura County’s popular “Kiddie Beach” in Oxnard the dubious title of most polluted beach in Southern California.

That’s too long. We support stepping up the investigation, and we suspect that if this beach were in one of the county’s more affluent neighborhoods, the problem would have been solved by now.

This stretch of coastline is formally known as Channel Islands Harbor Beach Park but long ago earned its nickname from the flocks of children and parents who migrate there whenever the weather turns warm. Situated at the south end of Channel Islands Harbor, where Hollywood Boulevard meets Victoria Avenue, the beach boasts calm waters ideal for children.

That makes it all the more important to find out why “Warning: Bacteriological Contamination” signs have been posted there since September and why it ranked worst of 250 beaches surveyed by the environmental watchdog group Heal the Bay.

The organization graded 250 beaches in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties using bacteria levels supplied by the counties. Kiddie Beach, one of 53 Ventura locations tested, was contaminated on 71% of the monitoring days, far above the next most contaminated beach.

For the 10 months the beach has been closed, test after test has been run to try to pinpoint the cause of the pollution. In October, the county rerouted storm drain runoff to the sewer system, but that didn’t help.

Pooper-scooper dispensers were installed to encourage pet owners to clean up after their animals. Feral cats are being removed from surrounding areas.

The sewage line to park restrooms was inspected and a minor problem found, but probably not the major source.

The boat-sewage dump station at the nearby harbor was checked for leakage; none was found.

The county, which owns the park, has teamed with the city of Oxnard and others to hire a consultant to mount an even more intense investigation. That proposal is to be presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval July 11.

Part of the problem is the lack of water circulation: The same protection from wave action that makes it safe for kids keeps the beach from being flushed with clean water. Another factor could be droppings from seabirds.

In any case, stepping up efforts to identify and correct the problem is the right thing to do. For many neighborhood residents, Kiddie Beach is the safest and most convenient place to cool off when summer heats up. It’s time to get it cleaned up and reopened.