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Home My WebLink About07 - Vessel Waste Discharge Study ContractITEM 7 TO: Members of the Newport Beach City Council FROM: Dave Kiff, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Summer -Fall 2002 Water Quality Testing Contract: Vessel Waste Discharge Study RECOMMENDED Authorize the Mayor to execute a contract with the University of California in ACTION: an amount not to exceed $45,000.00 using funds budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program for this purpose. BACKGROUND: While most of Newport Bay's waters routinely show levels of bacteria well below levels allowed by State law (AB 411, Wayne, 1997) for water contact recreational activities like swimming and wading, several locations often show bacteria levels higher than allowed by State law. These areas include: 43x4 Street Beach (Channel Place Park) Arches Marina (PCH and Newport Boulevard) Santa Ana /Delhi Channel San Diego Creek Big Canyon Wash Newport Dunes The Orange County Health Care Agency's Environmental Health Division (HCA) tests these six areas and about 30 more (see the map within this staff report) at least once a week. If the areas exceed AB 411 standards for total coliforni, fecal coliforna, or enterococcus, the County directs that the waters be posted as potentially unsafe for water contact recreation. A posting is separate from a closure. Per AB 411, the latter occurs when HCA suspects or knows of a sewage spill or leak. The sign on the left is a closure sign - the sign on the right is a posting sign. Beach Closure Beach KEEP OUT WARNING! CCIWGtluYA UER WY MCI &FA 1 \flL ^5_XAYI`Pl \Oa,Y /G�E iAVISO! SEWAGE CONTAMINATED !lmunnocwu,MMlaMw WATER wnsrleumnols atmrertx n.rcunuwms leswouesx MCrtwssxcsom sosme oussnlMUn The three bacteria listed above are known as indicator bacteria, meaning that they may indicate the presence of a human pathogen like a virus. The key word is may - for we do not know with certainty whether or not a virus is always attached to or near the indicator bacteria. Nor do we know the source of the indicator bacteria - the bacteria may be present due to bird droppings, pet waste, garden fertilizer, or other decomposing organic matter. Determining the source of the bacteria is an expensive challenge, with differing ways on how such sourcing can be done. These methods include: • Genetic Fingerprinting. This methodology takes unknown bacteria from the water, determines the bacteria's DNA pattern, and then attempts to match that pattern to a pattern from bacteria from a known source. • Antibiotic Resistance. This method takes unknown bacteria from the water, determines how the bacteria reacts to up to eight common antibiotics, and then attempts to match the reaction patterns with bacteria from known sources. OC HCA's Newport Bad Weekly Sampling Areas Better than merely using indicator bacteria, the City has embarked upon a limited testing program of actual viruses within Newport Bay. These tests are expensive, costing more than $1,400 per test. In 2000, the City contracted for Sant Ana. el 1. Channel a.N ou. B logo :v.SSIPt, DF e ' aee•, lone ughn'sLeuncb ra• n-- g Canyon Wash uau. w..a orlh r ac i o. m•• a... ".— .. a.�•..n • /� ww �.Ga:.� aenm.m. �w "• v _ e t y Dr. Pipe 4 J x��• hine h � . ie noa Am u u M,E,W,N th J St. uw• "a 19th t eacb t 6$eac 1An uim. e.e.n. ih t.B im. ark Me. arhe[ e' rand Canal ..oan'eu. e•r w.m "ate Saphim vt.Abalo �va m • Harbor Patrol Beach �T Alvarad o Be d camm Dew4nln °^s°• ^° N St. Beat ` Rocky Pt. Beach Pacific Ocean Better than merely using indicator bacteria, the City has embarked upon a limited testing program of actual viruses within Newport Bay. These tests are expensive, costing more than $1,400 per test. In 2000, the City contracted for viral testing with Dr. Rachel Noble of the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWR), a Westminster -based joint- powers agency set up to do water quality research. Dr. Sunny Jiang of the University of California, Irvine, joined Dr. Noble in these efforts. Drs. Noble and Jiang tested the following areas for human enteric virus particles: 43^' Street Beach (Channel Place Park) Arches Marina Bayshore Beach Santa Ana Delhi Channel (near Mesa and near University) San Diego Creek (near Campus and near Michelson) Big Canyon Wash Back Bay Drain /East Side of Newport Dunes During two distinct periods of testing last summer, Drs. Noble and Jiang's data showed no detectable levels of human enteric viruses in any area EXCEPT the Santa Ana Delhi Channel. Five of six tested samples from the Santa Ana Delhi Channel tested positive for the presence of human enteric viruses. The City paid for this testing using a grant from the State Water Resources Control Board. Here is an update on Summer 2001 Study efforts (including some results) and a description of our efforts for Summer -Fall 2002: • Antibiotic Resistance Testing in West Newport. This joint OC Health Care Agency -City effort attempts to determine the source of chronic bacteria problems around Newport Island. Dr. Doug Moore of OC HCA and Dr. Jody Harwood of the University of South Florida are coordinating the antibiotic resistance analysis (underway) for bacteria sampled in September - October 2001. • Swimmer Contribution Study at Newport Dunes. In late August 2001, we conducted a series of tests to attempt to determine if there is a link between swimmers and fecal coliform in a high -use swimming area. That data did NOT show a link. This test will be repeated several times in Summer 2002 to a level of statistical significance. A requirement of the Fecal Coliform TMDL. OC CoastKeeper will collect the samples and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) will test the samples. • Vessel Waste Discharge Study. A City- Regional Board effort will attempt to determine the extent of illegal waste discharges from boaters into Newport Harbor. This will be the first summer for this test protocol and will occur during July - September 2002. A requirement of the Fecal Coliform TMDL. Dr. Stanley Grant of UCI will conduct the Study. This study -- the subject of this particular Agenda Item -- will likely focus on two or three marinas in the Harbor and some mooring locations where liveaboards may be prevalent. Much of the details are confidential, because we do not want people to see the sampling boat and change their behaviors accordingly. • Baywide Bacteria and Virus Testing. In an attempt to determine if contamination levels have changed since 2000 and 2001, the City and the Regional Board will participate in an extensive study starting this month and continuing through September 2002 that tests fifteen locations in the Bay and in its tributaries for viruses, the three bacterial indicators, and f specific coliphage. OC CoastKeeper will collect the samples and Dr. Jiang and her lab crew will test the samples. Expert Help - the TAG. A study Technical Advisory Group (TAG) oversees these studies with me - the TAG includes: • Dr. Linda Candelaria, Regional Board • Stephanie Gasca, Regional Board • Larry Honeybourne, OC HCA • Dave Kiff, City of Newport Beach • Monica Mazur, OC HCA • Charlie McGee, Orange County Sanitation District • Jack Skinner, Newport Beach resident • Wanda Smith, Regional Board Costs. The total cost for the Vessel Waste Discharge Study will be about $45,000.00. This amount includes a 15% charge for overhead for UC, a significant reduction from the 50% overhead charged last year. Dr. Grant was selected to do this Study by Ms. Candelaria of the Regional Board. The $45,000.00 is budgeted in the City's FY 2001 -02 Capital Improvement Program (Fecal Coliform TMDL). THIS AGENDA This Agenda Item authorizes the Mayor to execute a contract with the Regents of ITEM: the University of California to perform a Vessel Waste Study in accordance with the obligations of the Fecal Coliform TMDL.