It’s Time for Reasonable Water Regulations

Re “Monitoring of Coastal Waters Is Questioned,” Aug. 15:

The newest study on coastal water quality confirms the questions that cities, fire departments, homeowners associations, business groups, apartment owners and real estate interests have raised regarding the questionable need for more and more storm water and urban runoff regulations.

If coastal water quality is improving, as this study confirms, why should society be asked to spend tens of billions of dollars, or even hundreds of billions by some estimates, in the pursuit of minor incremental improvements to water quality?

If the old regulations are working, and this study confirms that they are, why are water quality control boards asking homeowners and businesses to pay the price to make storm drains pristine?

Each new study raises more questions regarding the scientific underpinnings of these new regulations, yet the water quality boards continue to pursue harsher remedies to a problem that is clearly overstated.

It is time for these appointed boards to create reasonable regulations that are based on science, not political or social agendas.

Christine Diemer Iger

Partner,

Southern California

Coalition for Clean Water