Newport claims third of county’s spills

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- The city has won a dubious distinction, clocking in

with the most county-ordered beach closures for 2001.

Areas of the city’s beaches -- including those in the lower Back Bay

and Newport Harbor -- were closed down on 18 separate occasions during

the year, according to data released by the Orange County Environmental

Health division.

The governmental body, an offshoot of the county’s Health Care Agency,

reported 51 total closures last year. That means 35.29% of all the sewage

spills in Orange County occurred in Newport Beach.

“And those are the ones that were reported,” said Bob Caustin, founder

of Defend the Bay. “In many ways, that’s the tip of the iceberg. It’s

disturbing and disgusting.”

Of the 18 spills, four were caused by city sewage lines, three were a

result of a blocked line at the Balboa Bay Club, and two resulted from a

blockage and pump-station failure in the Costa Mesa Sanitary District

collection system.

There were also a fair number of spills caused by private property

owners. Seven of the spills, which include the three incidents at the bay

club, were caused by blockages and other problems with private lines.

Environmental Health spokesman Larry Honeybourne lauded city

sewage-response workers, saying Newport Beach officials have been

actively responding to spills when they occur.

“If you could say one thing about most of the spills, most of them are

line blockages,” Honeybourne said. “It points to the fact that everyone

needs to be aware of better maintenance with these things.”

As for the bay club, officials said its place high up the closure

ladder won’t last much longer. During the club’s massive renovation, its

old sewage network will be replaced. A grease-interceptor device, which

catches grease from the kitchen before it enters the line will also be

added.

As for measures to combat the other spills, Assistant City Manager

Dave Kiff said the city is working hard, but can and must do better.

“We do a pretty aggressive job,” Kiff said. “The odds are we’re going

to come out on the high end of spills if we don’t come out with more

aggressive measures.”

The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board is now heading

through a process to implement tougher new rules for prohibiting spills.

The rules are expected to be in place by March.

Dana Point was second on the closure list with 14 incidents.

Huntington Beach counted 10 spills for third place.

The city fared much better in 2000. Of the 40 spills during that year,

there were only nine that affected Newport Beach. That placed the city in

third place, behind Dana Point with 12 spills and Laguna Beach with 10.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .