A Cleaner Sea, and Far to Go

Up and down the Southern California coast last weekend, Boogie boarders skittered across hurricane-generated waves, cranking bottom turns, spinning 360s and, inevitably, getting tumbled so hard that saltwater pounded into their eyes, ears, throats and sinuses.

Thousands went home blissful, adrenaline in their blood. In some cases, however, that blood may also be breeding viruses, bacteria, even diseases such as hepatitis.

Orange County alone reported 1,592 beach closures and advisories in 2001, up from 881 in 2000. Most of the closures stemmed from urban runoff and sewage carrying bacteria that can cause gastroenteritis, dysentery and respiratory illness. An annual Natural Resources Defense Council report showed that last year, beach closures and advisories (which die-hard ocean addicts often ignore) rose 14% in California.

But the news isn’t as bad as it seems. California is ahead of most other states in aggressively monitoring beach pollution. In 2001, the state began drawing samples from 14 additional stretches of coast, accounting for 124 closings and advisories caused in part by more rainfall, which flushes filth into the ocean. The additional testing has led California to discover more pollution, so the public is better informed and protected.

Stricter controls and cleanup projects also have begun to fix the pollution problem. The Clean Beaches Initiative, for which Gov. Gray Davis approved money in 2001, has funded 38 projects, such as storm drain diversions and filtration. The Los Angeles and San Diego regional water boards issued tough new Clean Water Act permits, which require more diligent inspection of industrial sites and education campaigns for the public. Another regional water board decision requires developers to treat or filter runoff before it enters the general storm drain system.

But continued urbanization means more filth and bacteria and much work to be done to protect Californians and their tourist economy.

Slosh into the water at San Clemente’s T-Street beach, the Redondo Pier or Malibu. Along with Southern California dude-talk, the surfers, boarders, swimmers and waders speak Japanese, German, Russian and Persian. They come to taste the sweet, sunny life mythologized by the Beach Boys--not undertreated waste, pesticides and oily urban runoff.