Newport to use storm drains in pollution fight

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- An experimental solution to West Newport’s

water-quality problems will try to use storm drains as holding basins,

instead of for their intended purpose as channels for moving water into

the bay.

City crews began work last week, closing valves in storm drains and

designing steel screens to be installed at storm drain inlets -- both in

the attempt to keep debris out of the water. Trash, plant matter and

other contaminants in street runoff contribute to West Newport’s

unusually high bacteria levels, though experts remain unsure why the area

is disproportionately prone to contamination.

Usually, changes in the tides cause ocean water to flow into and out

of the storm drains daily, dragging debris and bacteria into the bay.

With their valves closed, the storm drains will hold the debris instead

of letting it flow into the bay.

City crews will regularly pump the water out of the storm drain system

and into the sewer system.

The normal purpose of the valves is to keep ocean water from flooding

neighborhoods during unusually high tides. Customarily, the valves remain

open except a few times a year when the city closes them during heavy

storms.

“The thinking now is: Why not use them to catch freshwater runoff?”

Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff said. “If it works, this is something

that we might look at doing in different areas of the city.”

Workers are also designing steel guards that will work like screens at

storm drain inlets. These guards are expected to be installed in about 80

storm drain inlets by the end of the month on Balboa Boulevard, River

Avenue, 43rd and 44th streets, and other streets in that area.

The project will cost between $40,000 and $50,000. The money will come

from $500,000 set aside from the state’s Clean Beaches Initiative, which

granted the money to Newport Beach to clean up the waters in West

Newport.