Sanitation District to do study

The Orange County Sanitation District will spend $300,000 on a study

to determine how diverting runoff from county storm drains into the

sewage system affects the sewage treatment process.

In 1999, after high bacteria levels in Surf City waters led to a

string of beach closures that lasted most of the summer, the district

began diverting most of its dry season runoff -- about 2.5-million

gallons a day -- to its sewage treatment plant.

The study, which is expected to begin within the year, will

explore whether the sewage treatment plant is adequately treating the

runoff.

“This will be an overall look at urban runoff, collection and

treatment to our plant,” said Tom Meregillano, regulatory specialist

with the Orange County Sanitation Department.

The sanitation district is the receptacle for both domestic and

industrial sewage, and now for runoff as well. About 100 million

gallons of runoff flows through the county’s waterways and storm

drains every day.

“We know what domestic [wastewater] looks like, we know what

industrial wastewater looks like,” Meregillano said. “We want to know

what long-term effects and immediate impacts are associated with

treating urban runoff.”

The district can handle 10 million gallons of runoff a day, but

can only afford to treat 4 million gallons a day.

Scientists have witnessed a decline in bacteria counts in the

water off Surf City beaches and runoff has been pinpointed as the

source of much of the bacteria in the ocean.

“We’re capturing runoff and since we’ve been holding it and

detaining it on site we’ve seen decrease in bacterial samples

exceedances,” Meregillano said. “It’s one of several means of

reducing bacteria.”

Officials from the Orange County Sanitation District are working

with the county’s Public Facilities and Resources Department to

determine what additional storm drains should be diverted.

“The district is working closely with the county and the county

will determine which areas need to be diverted,” Meregillano said.

“It’s a working relationship.”

A draft of the study will be reviewed in late November by the

district’s urban runoff ad hoc committee. Meregillano estimates it

will take about a year to complete.

Surf City credit cards

to pull in revenue

Forget the HB sticker for the car -- proud residents can soon

flash their very own Surf City credit card.

Applications for the Visa card, which city officials hope will

raise $150,000 to $200,000 each year for the city, will be available

in the next couple of weeks.

Provided by U.S. Bank, the cards will sport the Surf City logo and

will be offered in classic, gold and platinum.

City officials hope residents will take pride in the card and

flaunt it in as many stores as possible.

“Maybe younger people will like something that’s different than

their dad’s or their mom’s credit card,” said Jim Lamb, the city’s

business development manager.

The city will make $20 from each account opened, and $1.04 for

every $1,000 spent. Lamb hopes this will also serve as an incentive

for residents to get and use the card.

“This way, the money that is being generated from revenue on the

card, comes back and helps them locally,” Lamb said.

Most of the money generated by the cards will be put toward city

services. Of the revenue generated, 20% would be spent on parks and

recreation, 20% on cultural programs and 20% on library programs.

Another 20% of the money would be used for ongoing marketing for the

card, and 15% would go to the general fund. The remaining 5% would go

to Public Enterprises, the company that’s managing negotiations and

hiring for the card.

Marketers are also looking to provide merchant discounts in local

businesses through the card.

Applications for the card will be sent out with the next utility

bill. They will also be available online through the Huntington Beach

City Web site. For more information, call (714) 536-5582.

Water company says it will use eminent domain

Southern California Water announced last week that it plans to

seek eminent domain to install a pipeline under Huntington Beach that

will deliver water to the proposed Brightwater development.

The water company has not filed a request yet, but announced its

intentions to the city.

“This was an alternative that we were aware that they could

exercise,” said City Atty. Jennifer McGrath.

Eminent domain, if granted, would give the water company the

property rights to do construction without city approval. The City

Council denied a franchise agreement on Aug. 4 that would have pulled

water from Cypress to Huntington for the Hearthside Homes project

that proposes to build 388 homes on 107 acres of the Bolsa Chica

mesa.

Construction of the pipeline, which will involve digging up an

underground route will impact traffic and the surrounding area. Water

company officials will be required by court to work closely with city

staff during construction and to follow all city policies and

procedures, McGrath said.

The seven-mile pipe would run underground from Cypress to

Huntington Beach, snaking through Garden Grove, Westminster and Seal

Beach on its way. It would provide water to 388 homes that Hearthside

Homes is proposing to build on the upper bench of the mesa.

Roads closed for

sewer line repairs

Bushard Street between Atlanta Avenue and Indianapolis Avenue

closed to all traffic Monday for sewer replacement and will remain

closed through mid-November. Lyman Drive Castlegate Drive and Erskine

Drive will also be closed.

Access to the neighborhood is being routed via Kimberwick Lane and

Queens Park Lane from Atlanta Avenue and Cohasset Lane and Alisa Lane

from Indianapolis Avenue. For more information, call the Orange

County Sanitation District hotline at (714) 378-2965.

State beaches will

close two hours earlier

Bonfires, late-night fishing and nighttime surf sessions are a

thing of the past.

Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach will no longer

be open until 10 p.m. In an state effort to save money, the beaches

will close two hours earlier beginning Oct. 26. Operating hours will

be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with gates closing at 7 p.m.

Businesses will not suffer in this attempt to save money, said

Joanie Krehbiel, vice president of Wheel Fun Rentals.

“It effects us in absolutely no way because you can’t ride bikes

after dark,” she said.

Campers visiting the Bolsa Chica State Beach are not expected to

feel any backlash either.

“Bolsa Chica is very popular, it is hard to get reservations even

now,” said Rose Marie Stuart, who takes reservations. “Closing time

will be a bit slimmer but I imagine it wouldn’t be a problem.”

-- Complied by Jenny Marder