Sewage treatment decision imminent

Paul Clinton

Come Wednesday, the Orange County Sanitation District’s board faces a

watershed decision.

The 25-member board, which includes Mayor Debbie Cook, has picked that

date to decide whether to pursue a controversial federal waiver and how

to treat the partially treated sewage it releases into the ocean every

day.

“It’s the ultimate decision,” district spokeswoman Sonja Wassgren

said. “This is the night they’re going to be making a decision about the

level of treatment.”

Board members will convene at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the district’s

Fountain Valley plant, at 10844 Ellis Ave. A 45-minute public comment

period has been scheduled for the beginning of the meeting.

Four options have been put on the table for treating the sewage

released 4 1/2 miles out to sea via an ocean outfall pipe. The board

could elect to reduce treatment, leave it status quo, increase it to full

treatment or use an alternative method known as microfiltration.

The later two methods are expected to cost about $440 million and $460

million to implement.

One option, Wassgren said, would be for the district to promise to

implement full treatment -- which could take as long as 10 years -- and

also apply for an extension of the waiver.

It’s an option that won’t sit well with many.

“That would give them a huge out,” Councilwoman Connie Boardman said.

“Once they have the waiver, the motivation to go to full [treatment]

might not be as strong.”

Environmentalists and city leaders have been calling on the district

to step up treatment of the sewage, saying they suspect the plume is

contributing the contamination in the surf zone. However, a $5-million

district study last summer suggested that bacteria was not reaching the

shoreline in high concentrations.

City leaders questioned the study’s conclusion that other sources --

including storm drains, an RV park and possibly the AES power plant --

were contributing to the nagging beach postings.