No easy clean for dirty water

Alicia Robinson

Solutions to circulation problems around Newport Island would be

expensive or difficult to complete, water quality experts said this

week during a meeting of the West Newport Beach Assn.

Local water officials, including city Harbor Resources Manager Tom

Rossmiller, county environmental health specialist Monica Mazur and

Orange County CoastKeeper program director Randy Seton, addressed

questions from a moderator and about 30 residents on topics such as

toxic sediment in the Rhine Channel, water circulation around Newport

Island and water quality testing by different agencies.

Rossmiller told the audience that circulation around Newport

Island can be improved in several ways, but most solutions are

expensive or require permits that are difficult to obtain.

The city tried an aeration system on a temporary basis, but

residents complained that it was too noisy, he said. Finding a

low-cost aeration system that’s acceptable to the community, as well

as keeping storm drains and filters clean and dredging, should clean

up the water there.

The Rhine Channel, another problem area for water quality

officials, is full of debris and toxic sediment, Seton said.

Officials do know how to clean it up, but as for many problems,

the solution is expensive, possibly costing up to $30 million, he

said. Efforts are underway to get federal funding for the work.

Enforcement of regulations is an important part of improving water

quality, said Jim Sinasek, city code and water quality enforcement

manager.

The city has gotten good results working with the environmental

division of the Orange County district attorney’s office and issuing

citations to residents who break the rules, he said.

Sinasek reminded residents they’ll be held responsible if illegal

runoff is produced on their property, for example if a contractor

power-washes their home or hoses down equipment and lets the water

get into city storm sewers.

One new idea was proposed by City Councilman Steve Rosansky, who

represents the area. He suggested periodic household hazardous waste

collection days when the city can pick up residents’ old paint cans,

car batteries, computers and other toxic trash that can’t go into a

landfill with regular waste.

One forum attendee, George Drayton, said he would have liked to

have heard more specific steps that will be taken to solve problems

with water quality. For example, the panel discussed how people

feeding ducks in particular areas leads to the accumulation of duck

droppings, but no one said what could be done about it, he said.

“They’re trying to create the impression that there’s a lot of

things we know about and we’re trying to take care of, but sometimes

they’re avoiding the specific problem,” Drayton said.

On Thursday, Sinasek said, part of the duck problem had been

addressed that morning with the removal of more than 30 ducks from

the Grand Canal area.

Officials are working on other issues, such as the safety of water

around Newport Island, but those are harder to pin down, he said.

“I think it’s difficult to give exact answers on things that are

as nebulous as they are right now,” Sinasek said.

The forum, the first in west Newport Beach, was a success, Sinasek

said.

No other forums are scheduled at this time, but they could be if

others agree that Wednesday’s event was worthwhile, he said.