Harbor focus turns to pump-out stations

June Casagrande

A harbor-wide crackdown on pump-out station operators could take

place if details of a CoastKeeper survey reveal widespread neglect of

privately maintained stations.

Orange County CoastKeeper, a nonprofit environmental organization,

next month will present to the city’s citizen water quality committee

details of a survey released earlier in October that shows that only

13 of Newport Harbor’s 23 pump-out stations are in operation. Four of

the stations are operated by the city, one by the county parks

department and the remainder by private operators such as yacht clubs

and some pleasure cruise companies.

The city routinely inspects and repairs its four stations, Harbor

Resources Director Tony Melum said. City officials charge the

privately maintained pump-out stations with contributing to the

harbor’s bacteria problems because, when boaters can’t find a

convenient place to empty their sewage holds, they might just dump

them right into the water.

“We count on boaters to do the right thing; yet if they’re going

to do the right thing, we need to have convenient and operating

facilities for them,” said Garry Brown, CoastKeeper executive

director.

City checks of the pump-out station at Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club

reveal it has been out of service since June. City officials have

contacted the club about the problem, but the club is having

technical problems fixing the station, Melum said. Last week, the

city issued a citation to the club.

“We’re doing what we can to force them to start the thing back up

again,” Melum said.

A representative of the club could not be reached late Wednesday

afternoon.

Oversight of the pump-out stations is complicated, falling under

various jurisdictions. But Brown and Melum agreed that there are

things that can be done to fix the problem.

“What we’re going to do is to apply some political pressure to

have the ordinances followed and maybe to instill some better

management,” Brown said.

The CoastKeeper survey issued letter grades to local waterways for

their maintenance of pump-out stations and for water quality results

in the harbor. Newport Beach received a D-plus. Huntington Harbor got

an F, and Dana Point Harbor received a B.

The city’s Coastal/Bay Water Quality Committee will hear a

presentation by Brown at its meeting next month to consider ways to

fix the problem.

“We are stewards of the harbor,” said City Councilman Steve

Bromberg, who along with Mayor Tod Ridgeway is council liaison to the

committee. “I’m sure there are some things we can do.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.