Fed up with sewage and now...

Fed up with sewage and now chemicals

Last Thursday, the Independent featured as its “Top Story” an

article by Paul Clinton regarding sewage treatment. The article

accepted that the ocean is an appropriate place for us to dispose of

our sewage. The question raised was how to treat it so that it

doesn’t make us sick when we take a swim in that same ocean. On

Saturday, residents in southeast Huntington Beach awoke to a

beautiful, sunshiny day, a perfect day to spend at the beach, only to

read in the paper that their beach at Magnolia was again rated “F”

(if you swim in it, you will probably get sick). Periodically during

the weekend, we heard the pumping station turn on and pump its

chemical brew from our streets into the Talbert Channel on its way to

the ocean.

“F” is pretty much the standard for our beach at Magnolia Street.

Soon it will be worse. If the bacteria and the viruses don’t get us,

the chemicals will. Besides the 18,000 to 20,000 gallons of

industrial strength Clorox that the Orange County Sanitation District

uses to treat the sewage, they also treat the air with chemicals to

control odor. Industrial waste brings with it a host of chemicals.

The sanitation district uses caustic soda to control acid that forms

in their sewer lines. AES uses chemicals in its emission control

system. We fertilize our lawn three times each year and spray for

ants several times. We use laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent,

Clorox, ammonia, Spray and Wash, 409, Shower Power, shampoo, soap and

toothpaste on a regular basis. Whether these chemicals take the short

route via the storm drain system or the long route through Orange

County Sanitation District, they all get to the ocean eventually. We

also know that the Orange County Sanitation District plume has made

its way to a half-mile off of our shore.

A bond issue on the November ballot, if it passes, will provide

public funds to subsidize desalinization plants up and down the

coast. Poseidon plans one for Huntington Beach at the AES plant. Our

sick ocean will get the 50 million gallons of rejected water and all

of the pollutants from the 100 million gallons of water ingested by

Poseidon each day plus the chemicals used to sanitize its equipment

contaminated by viruses, bacteria and the fecal material present in

ocean water. Proponents argue that no harm comes to the area because

the rejected materials (excepting the chemicals) have come from the

ocean and are simply being returned but in concentrated form. They

contend that the concentrated brine and pollutants will be diluted by

the ocean and dispersed throughout the ocean. Those same ocean

dynamics cause us to suffer “F” ratings while down coast at Corona

del Mar they enjoy an “A+” rating and up coast at the Huntington

Beach Pier they enjoy an “A” rating. Residents of Southeast

Huntington Beach can look forward to many years of fun at their beach

(as long as they don’t go near the water).

JOHN SCOTT

Huntington Beach

Let’s support Jill Hardy for council

What a tremendous opportunity the city of Huntington Beach now

enjoys with the coming elections in November.

I’m voicing my enthusiastic support for Jill Hardy. Having known

Jill for close to 20 years, I feel certain she is the perfect

representative for the people of Huntington Beach. She has been a No.

1 supporter of the city and has been exhaustively active in civic

affairs for as long as I can remember. We’ve had many discussions

over the years regarding city affairs and I’m always amazed at her

balanced grasp and practical approach to issues that are inherently

polarizing.

As a third-generation Huntington Beach citizen and a lifetime

resident, Jill has her roots firmly planted in this city and has its

best interests at heart. I hope the citizens of our city will take

Jill’s background and experience into account while looking toward

the future by voting for Jill Hardy in the election for the

Huntington Beach City Council.

SEAN ROOT

Huntington Beach

Let’s keep the Bolsa Chica fight going

I believe the Bolsa Chica Land Trust should continue to fight the

development on the Bolsa Chica mesa as I believe that the land owner,

the developer, has every intention to try to build 1,235 homes on the

mesa. And that they are “piecemealing” the project by dividing it

into two different sections. I also believe that the Bolsa Chica Land

Trust will be able to secure funding that will be able to pay the

developer for the Bolsa Chica mesa.

FLOSSIE HORGAN

Huntington Beach

We don’t need any more development along the coast. Once it’s

gone, it’s gone forever. I grew up in Huntington Beach and currently

live in Long Beach. That’s enough. We don’t need any more

development. They already ruined Crystal Cove and most of Newport.

Just leave it alone. Restore it and let it be.

ROBERT BOGOSIAN

Long Beach

We should continue the fight to save the mesa from development.

There should not be any homes on that property at all. I’ve lived in

that vicinity since 1970, and there has been too much building and we

need to save some of the wetlands or all of the wetlands that are

left.

ANNE MYER

Huntington Beach

Quiet is a natural resource to be saved

Thursday’s (Aug. 15) article in the Huntington Beach Independent

mailbag by Don McGee pretty much sums it up for me, a 32-year

resident, and everyone else I talk to regarding this issue. So many

of us would like to go to the homes next door to the people hiring

these banner-towing planes and blow leaf blowers all day to

illustrate our point. It wouldn’t take long for them to capitulate

and agree about the invasion of the senses.

People are concerned about noise. We live in a very noisy society.

Parks (and beaches) are places where people go to listen for silence.

We need to help Pam Julien Houchen and all the others bring some

sanity to our hometown’s sensibilities.

NANCY GIBSON

Huntington Beach