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Home My WebLink About22 - Water Quality Education Plan0 0 ITEM 22 TO: Members of the Newport Beach City Council FROM: SUBJECT: ACTION: Dave Kiff, Deputy City Manager Water Quality Education Plan — West Newport & More Direct City staff to: (1) Mail the attached memorandum from the Harbor Quality Committee (along with article on "Gull Trouble" and diagram of sign) to West Newport and Newport Island residents; (2) Post beach areas currently posted in West Newport with attached sign; (3) Include information similar to that which is on the sign within the City's water bills; and (4) Report back to Harbor Quality Committee and to the City Council on any progress after nine months. EXECUTIVE In January 1999, the City Council discussed a proposed ordinance that would SUMMARY: have prohibited the feeding of wild birds. By a 7 -0 vote, the Council tabled the ordinance and directed the Harbor Quality Committee to return to the Council with "recommendations on an education program" relating to bird feeding. At its December 2,1999 meeting, the Committee approved the attached education program (Attachments A -D). This agenda item enacts the program. BACKGROUND: In Summer 1999, Orange County - especially the City of Huntington Beach - saw long -term beach closures that caught most local officials, government agencies, residents, and the media off guard. In August 1999, the County of Orange's Health Care Agency (OCHCA) saw high readings of specific bacteriological indicators of human pathogens in the surfzone off of Huntington Beach As such, the County closed a section of beach from the Huntington Beach Pier to the Santa Ana River mouth. The closure received significant attention nationwide. Even after spending millions of dollars to determine the source of the contamination off of Huntington Beach, local officials could not conclusively identify a specific source. Most officials now believe that the contamination came from urban runoff - the waters that drain from residences, commercial areas, restaurants, and more. Others point to a combination of urban runoff and the fecal matter of birds that thrive in the Talbert Marsh area immediately north of the Santa Ana River mouth. Newport Beach City Council Page 2 BACKGROUND: Even before the Huntington Beach closure, the County of Orange has been a • (cont'd) leader in coastal water quality testing - particularly in Newport Bay and its tributaries. OCHCA began its sampling program in 1965 and now samples weekly at 35 specific areas in Newport Bay. The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) tests eight areas 3x a week in the surfzone along the oceanfront. While a significant majority of the Bay and oceanfront beaches routinely shows low levels of contamination, the following areas tend to exceed statewide standards: • Tributaries to Newport Bay - San Diego Creek, Santa Ana Delhi Channel, and Big Canyon Wash • 43,d Street Beach • 38�h Street Beach • 33,d Street Channel • the storm drain near the Arches Bridge • Rhine Channel While the County has been testing to a set standard since 1965, the State Legislature established different testing standards statewide in 1997 (AB 411, Wayne, D -San Diego). State law now requires health officials to post beaches as unsuitable for water contact activities if the following standards are met or exceeded: • Total Coliform (if more than 10,000 organisms are present in a single 100 ml sample) • Fecal Coliform (400 organisms /100 ml) • Enterococci (104 organisms /100 ml) Even prior to AB 411, the beaches at 43�d Street and 38th Street in West Newport were and are routinely posted as unsuitable for water - contact sports. But what causes the high levels of one or more of the three indicators? We know that the indicators come from a variety of sources - soils, decaying vegetation, animal wastes, and human waste. A single fecal dropping from a bird, for instance, can include millions of the same organisms for which the County tests. We cannot, however, conclusively determine that birds are the cause of the beach postings in West Newport without conducting additional - and expensive - testing. One way to determine whether or not the indicators are caused by birds, animals, or humans is to match the indicators' DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) to known DNA from a library of various birds and animals common to the testing area. The City - in partnership with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (Santa Ana Region) and OCHCA -- will embark upon a DNA testing program in Spring 2000 to assist us in sampling and testing 10 different sites in the area. The DNA testing program grew out of a comment made January 11, 1999 before the City Council's hearing on the adoption of a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited the feeding of any wild animal in a public area. Some of the individuals testifying against the ordinance argued that the City should not ban bird feeding outright until the City knew more conclusively that birds caused the contamination. Page 3 BACKGROUND: The Council agreed that an outright prohibition against bird feeding was (cont'd) premature. Instead, the Council directed the Harbor Quality Citizens Advisory Committee (HQAC) to develop an education plan that would inform West Newport residents of the potential water quality impacts of a significant bird population. On December 2, 1999, the Harbor Quality Committee unanimously approved an education plan that consists of the following: • A memorandum from the Committee to each resident of Newport Island and West Newport that explains four things that residents can do in their neighborhood that may improve water quality and lead to the removal of the beach postings. Included in the mailing would be an article from the Times Orange County (pending permission to reprint the article) that describes bird - related contamination at Doheny Beach near San Juan Capistrano. • A sign that advises visitors to posted beaches that bird feeding and urban runoff may lead to the posting of the beaches that they visit. • A water bill insert to all Newport Beach water customers that mirrors the message of the sign but that applies to all Newport -area beaches. This agenda item asks the Council to approve the HQAC's education plan and to have the Committee report back on its effectiveness within nine months (after a significant period of dry weather flows). ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A - Memo from HQAC Attachment B - Sign for Posted /Closed beaches Attachment C - Water Bill Insert Attachment D - Article from the Times Orange County 0 Attachment A CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Harbor Quality Citizens Advisory Committee WATER QUALITY ADVISORY TO: Residents of Newport Island, Balboa Coves, and West Newport FROM: The Newport Beach Harbor Quality Citizens Advisory Committee DATE: December 16,1999 RE: Water Quality Problems around Newport Island As you are well aware, several beach areas around Newport Island have been "posted" by the Orange County Health Care Agency as unsuitable for swimming. We know that you share our interest in improving the water quality in your area and we ask for your assistance in the following ACTION PLAN to attempt to bring the water back up to standards: • DISCOURAGE NEIGHBORS AND VISITORS FROM FEEDING THE DUCKS AND GULLS. The beaches are posted with signs because of high levels of bacteria that can indicate the presence of pathogens harmful to humans — these bacteria typically come from bird, cat, dog, or human waste. Let's reduce the duck and gull population and see if we also reduce the bacteria counts — then maybe the postings can come down. • PICK UP AFTER PETS. We have to be more diligent about picking up after our pets — any dog or cat waste left in the gutter, sand, or washed off piers ends up in the Bay. These contaminants directly contribute to high bacteria counts. • USE BROOMS, NOT HOSES. Use a broom to sweep away dust, garden debris, and trash. Try to avoid hosing down yards and driveways — again, the water flow takes other contaminants into the Bay before City street sweepers can pick them up. • USE THE CAR WASH. Unfortunately, washing the car at home is not good for the Bay -- even if you use biodegradable soap. Aquatic life may be adversely affected by the soap. Plus, the additional water carries bad stuff down the curb and into the storm drains before the sweepers can get it. Please take your car to the car wash where the water is contained and recirculated. These are four simple, quick ways to help clean up the water around West Newport and Newport Island. There are other fixes, too — some more medium -term (like diverting the storm drains that come down Superior and enter the Bay near West Newport Park) and some long- term (such as ways to improve the water flow in the Bay channels). The Harbor Quality Committee will be working on these issues as the Action Plan is underway. Please access the City's website at www.city.newport- beach.ca.us for more information. Thank you for your cooperation! Newport Beach City Council Page 5 • Attachment B CONTAMINATED WATER! a& FF DO DUCKS AND URBAN RUNOFF CAUSE THE BAY WATER CONTAMINATION PROBLEM? Everybody likes ducks — they're.fun and friendly. But each duck • dropping (gulls, too) may contribute millions of bacteria to the water. A duck will stick around when people feed it. But ducks have survived many eons without stale Wonder Bread and yesterday's donuts. To encourage them to forage for nature - provided food in other places, please do not feed the ducks around Newport Bay! Urban runoff originating from the hose - cleaning of yards and driveways, washing cars, and overwatering picks up bacteria in the gutter from bird, cat, or dog waste and takes it into the bay. Whether it's from a bird or from urban runoff, this bacteria may be harmful to humans and may be contributing to the "posting" of local beaches as unsafe for water - contact sports like swimming. Find out more about how you can reduce urban runoff by logging onto www.city.newport- beach.ca.us. Let's work together to keep our harbor waters clean! The City of Newport Beach • Harbor Quality Citizens Advisory Committee • Attachment C r� U HELP KEEP OUR BAY CLEAN! F Page 6 DO DUCKS AND URBAN RUNOFF IMPAIR THE BAY'S WATER QUALITY? Everybody likes ducks — they're fun and friendly. But each duck dropping (gulls, too) may contribute millions of bacteria to the water. A duck will stick around when people feed it. But ducks have survived many eons without stale Wonder Bread and yesterday's donuts. To encourage them to forage for nature- provided food in other places, please do not feed the ducks around Newport Bay! Urban runoff originating from the hose- cleaning of yards and driveways, washing cars, and overwatering picks up bacteria in the gutter from bird, cat, or dog waste and takes it into the bay. Whether it's from a bird or from urban runoff, this bacteria may be harmful to humans and may be contributing to the "posting" of local beaches as unsafe for water- contact sports like swimming. Find out more about how you can reduce urban runoff by logging onto www.city.newport- beach.ca.us. Let's work together to keep our harbor waters clean! The City of Newport Beach Harbor Quality Citizens Advisory Committee _ vv■ �. �mw. �JVmmrmnr�- �a�9Tna' uea�u' �JilnlvLealCnlC '•Ja19JUAll "4dNIJILAl1U - -- —, SECTION B ORANGE COUNTY-, uesct INKLATINIMCOM NOBEMBE69,1999 • • . , aLEXN..G, WAnoovl- Health officials have increased their monitodng of bacteria levels to twice a week where the San Juan Creek dumps into the ocean. Gu" Tr.. ou- b le Droppings from thousands of birds at Doheny beach lead to-high bacteria levels and warnings north of creek. . mats. Though the bacteria themselves do not cause iBnees, that, presence A an indicator of diseace-caming organisms, such as viruses and parasitic protons. Swimmers ale court gel infections through cuts or experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and mitation to the eyes, ears, nose or sinuses. Children, the elderly and people with compro- inked immune systems are strongly advised to stay out of the water, Manor said. Doherty State Beach is plagued by other sources of bacteria. The environmental group Heil the Hay gave the area where the San Juan Creek flows. into the ocean a failing water' quality grade for 11 weeks from June 10 to Oct. 21. Urb n runoff from the creek Is a chronic source Of bacteria. The problem Is espe hi ly bad after heavy rainfall. Even Monday's light rain. prompted Orange County health authorities to Issue routine health advisory that bacteria levels in the... c.Wit be elevated this week. The water quality also suffered after the Hector - Mine earthquake (Jet. 16. About 1,250 feet of shoreline was closed for five days after a pump malfunctioned at a Southeast Regional Reclama- tion Authority plant in Mission Viejo. The mal- By SEEMAMEHTA - :',.rasTaiiwertE4 Doheny State Beach is going to the birds. literally. Swimmers have been roamed to avoid a 250. fact stretch mrth of San Joan (leek, where health officials have found high levels of bacteria. Though jmban runoff or sewage spills have affected this vulnerable beach m the past, the current culprit A a Bids bit harder to ehmirote. Thousands of gulls, including some from as far away as Alberta, Canada, lake their winter vacations on the sand. And if you're the kind of .person who gets annoyed when a bird leaves its mark on'your car windshield, you probably want to stay away from Tabery.. " "Mere's a lot of Mods down there, � said Monica Mazes, a county Health Care Agency spokes - woman. ",And the birds —they pooh." The surf cirries bud droppings into the ocean, where' birds ale roost, biologists say. It's a problem every winter. HHealth officials, who usually check bacteria llevels. naekly, have stepped op monitoring to r' twice a week. By Wednesday, the feral colHorm _level was more than double the acceptable level I Ponction resWtetl In 2,000 gallons of partially 5889011'8 " Entsmcocci levels were about 72 times the f11et rain Just treated sewage being released i uto'a crock that standard Tese bacteria are found in the inteatines of l a drlule, but deadly. BS feeds into the likelihood that said. t But the hkelshaad that the current' Mgh people, shorebuds and ocher warmblooded art. , Yleausu GULL S, 89 a > n.� t r . , aLEXN..G, WAnoovl- Health officials have increased their monitodng of bacteria levels to twice a week where the San Juan Creek dumps into the ocean. Gu" Tr.. ou- b le Droppings from thousands of birds at Doheny beach lead to-high bacteria levels and warnings north of creek. . mats. Though the bacteria themselves do not cause iBnees, that, presence A an indicator of diseace-caming organisms, such as viruses and parasitic protons. Swimmers ale court gel infections through cuts or experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and mitation to the eyes, ears, nose or sinuses. Children, the elderly and people with compro- inked immune systems are strongly advised to stay out of the water, Manor said. Doherty State Beach is plagued by other sources of bacteria. The environmental group Heil the Hay gave the area where the San Juan Creek flows. into the ocean a failing water' quality grade for 11 weeks from June 10 to Oct. 21. Urb n runoff from the creek Is a chronic source Of bacteria. The problem Is espe hi ly bad after heavy rainfall. Even Monday's light rain. prompted Orange County health authorities to Issue routine health advisory that bacteria levels in the... c.Wit be elevated this week. The water quality also suffered after the Hector - Mine earthquake (Jet. 16. About 1,250 feet of shoreline was closed for five days after a pump malfunctioned at a Southeast Regional Reclama- tion Authority plant in Mission Viejo. The mal- By SEEMAMEHTA - :',.rasTaiiwertE4 Doheny State Beach is going to the birds. literally. Swimmers have been roamed to avoid a 250. fact stretch mrth of San Joan (leek, where health officials have found high levels of bacteria. Though jmban runoff or sewage spills have affected this vulnerable beach m the past, the current culprit A a Bids bit harder to ehmirote. Thousands of gulls, including some from as far away as Alberta, Canada, lake their winter vacations on the sand. And if you're the kind of .person who gets annoyed when a bird leaves its mark on'your car windshield, you probably want to stay away from Tabery.. " "Mere's a lot of Mods down there, � said Monica Mazes, a county Health Care Agency spokes - woman. ",And the birds —they pooh." The surf cirries bud droppings into the ocean, where' birds ale roost, biologists say. It's a problem every winter. HHealth officials, who usually check bacteria llevels. naekly, have stepped op monitoring to r' twice a week. By Wednesday, the feral colHorm _level was more than double the acceptable level I Ponction resWtetl In 2,000 gallons of partially 5889011'8 " Entsmcocci levels were about 72 times the f11et rain Just treated sewage being released i uto'a crock that standard Tese bacteria are found in the inteatines of l a drlule, but deadly. BS feeds into the likelihood that said. t But the hkelshaad that the current' Mgh people, shorebuds and ocher warmblooded art. , Yleausu GULL S, 89 Attachment D, 1999 ORANGE COUNTY° I TUESDAY. , r. � �, If. tBtf8;dp4:�t�'IB4aEldi.�q. ' � 7?'. n eRAdilpHSAd�,+ i r 0 GLEN KOENIC`/ Los Angeles 'I)Mls -" The fecal.'coliform level at Doheny was measured last week at more than double what is acceptable r GULLS: Hassle Every Writer. .',Conhnued from Ell Sea and Sage Audubon Orange area for gulls," he said.. "Through - bacteria`_levels are related to a• County's ' chapter::of -`.the. National out the state, of California, Doheny sewage.leak is "pretty remote;' she , .,Audubon Society is known to bird - watchers ,as .the said piece in Southern California to see Mark Gold, executive director of IoelWilitraulia biologist with"Cal and identify gulls. ", -Heal i the,Bay, said swimmers J State Fullerton, said 16 species of Perry said she has been going to should be. cautious about polluted gulls stop.at Doheny State " Beach - Doheny'three_ times a week during water regardless of the source. While they may spoil the beach' from October through April.. As , the winter for 10 years. _ for swimmers, the birds attract many as 100,000 gulls pass through "It's wonderful. It's breath bird- watchers from across, the - the area during this time, he added. taking," the Laguna Beach bad - state. Doheny State Beach is one of - Around. Christmas, as many as._, watcher said. "These birds return the, premier winter bird - watching`: 16,000 gulls are -.at the beach. Two to the :same place --year; after'year:, locations in California, said kaaren, :.&rds are migratory. " Being .a part of`natural,history and Perry; 'education chairwoman ''of ` "It's awerysignifi ant )wintering ° ' abCe to witness if is a real treat,." - - •