Let’s not rush beach cleanups

Janet Cromley’s article of June 5 [“Bacteria at the Beach?”] is very timely. Presently there is a billion-dollar effort to treat or divert all sources of urban runoff entering our coastal waters.

There is increasing evidence that the health threat from urban runoff may be often overestimated.

Before we continue to spend huge sums of money to clean up our beaches, it is time to review new scientific information about health effects.

JOHN F. SKINNER, MD

Newport Beach