Laguna Beach Fined Over Sewage

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Board has fined Laguna Beach $60,000 for eight sewage spills that closed beaches over an 18-month period.

It is the first time in the last three years that the regional board has imposed fines on an Orange County city for sewage spills, said John Robertus, the executive officer of the board who recommended the fines.

Laguna Beach has a “significant track record” for such spills, Robertus said. “We’ve lost our tolerance for it.”

From Jan. 1, 1999, through June 30, 2000, beaches in the city were closed for 29 days due to sewage leaks, said regional board member Wayne Baglin, a Laguna Beach resident. The eight spills caused 21,400 gallons of raw sewage to flow into the ocean.

Environmentalists praised the action.

“I think it’s good the board is enforcing the rules,” said Chad Nelsen, environmental director for the Surfrider Foundation and a Laguna Beach resident. “There’s got to be some consequences for the lack of response.”

In the 18-month period, the city had 23 sewage spills. Laguna Beach, which has seven miles of coastline, maintains about 90 miles of sewer lines and 26 pump stations.

Robertus faxed the complaint to Laguna Beach on Thursday. The city can appeal the fine to the board at its Aug. 9 meeting in San Diego.

“If the city contests [the penalty], the board will ultimately make the decision to affirm it or increase or decrease the amount,” said Art Koe, assistant executive officer of the board.

Ultimately, the city could appeal the regional board’s decision to the state board.

City engineer Steve May said the city will probably decide this week whether to appeal the decision.

“It was surprising,” he said. “When we pay large fines like that it’s not going to bankrupt the city, but it’s going to reduce the funds available to solve the problem.”

The board could have imposed a maximum of $232,000, at $10,000 a day and $10 for every gallon discharged over 1,000 that was not cleaned up. Because Laguna Beach has been taking steps to analyze its sewage-spill problems, the maximum fines were not imposed, Stewart said.

The City Council this month increased sewer rates to repair a system that council and city staff members said is in dire need of reconstruction. Rates increased 6% effective July 1, or about $18 for a single-family home. They will rise 4% next year and 3.5% the following year.

Laguna Beach also has hired an independent firm to analyze its sewer division operations and assess its problems.

“We like their progress,” Stewart said. “That’s why the fine wasn’t the maximum.”