Sewage bill passes through assembly

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT-MESA -- A bill that would require the Orange County Sanitation

District to step up the treatment of its sewage has sailed through the

state Assembly.

The legislation, known as Assembly Bill 1969, passed in that house of

the Legislature on a 62-8 vote on Wednesday evening. It now moves to the

Senate for approval.

Author Ken Maddox, whose new district in November will include Costa

Mesa, praised the overwhelming support for the legislation, which would

also short-circuit the district’s attempt to renew a federal waiver that

would keep treatment levels status quo.

The district dumps 240-million gallons of partially treated sewage

into the ocean each day via an outfall pipe leading 4 1/2 miles out to sea. City officials suspect this plume of sewage is contributing to

bacteria contamination in the surf zone.

“My anti [sewage] measure has caught a wave,” Maddox said. “[The

plume] is a prime contributor to the unhealthy condition off the coast.”

Maddox introduced the bill on Feb. 14. It has garnered the support of

environmentalists including the Ocean Outfall Group, a band of local

environmentalists lobbying for stepped-up treatment of the sewage.

Assemblyman John Campbell, who represents Newport Beach, supported the

bill. Campbell’s district includes several cities that support ending the

waiver -- including Newport Beach and Irvine -- and Lake Forest, which

supports the waiver.

After agonizing over whether to support the bill, which would

ultimately force the district to spend about $400 million to upgrade its

treatment plant, Campbell decided to support it.

“This bill is probably overkill, but we are best to err on the side of

overkill rather than under treatment,” Campbell said. “I would argue that

a lot of the charm and attraction of Orange County is based on this being

a beach community.”

Assemblyman Tom Harman, who represents Huntington Beach, is coauthor

on the bill. Two Orange County assembly members, Lynn Daucher (R-Brea)

and Bill Campbell (R-Orange) voted against it.