A Decade of Clean Water Now! Coastal and Creek Cleanup

One of Laguna’s oldest activist “watchdog” groups, Clean Water Now! Just turned 10 last month (November 10th) and continues its dogged pursuit…attending council meetings in both inland and coastal South Orange County to demand water quality compliance for creeks and oceans. With renewed concern for the alarming scarcity of water and our other natural resources, the need for such groups and for cooperative efforts is becoming painfully apparent.

For those of you too new to remember, Laguna, as well as the rest of the California Coast along PCH, has been plagued for years with sewage spills and other critical water issues.

10 years ago, we had chronic spillage, and , no surprise, trash on our beaches.

We’ve come a long way, baby…thanks to a host of environmental, engineering, and political groups promoting awareness and interfacing not only against, but also for city water improvements. Today, we still have a long way to go. With a 28+year old non-paralleled sewer system, the challenges for our city have been immense. Add the incredible growth and building factor, inland pollution to Aliso Creek and the ocean, land slides, etc. to the mix, and it boggles the mind.

Clean Water Now! was the first non-government owned coalition of water quality activism in both Laguna Beach and South Orange County History, and of watershed protection activism in South Orange County. Founded in 1998 by the following non-government organizations: Clean Aliso Creek Assn., Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, OC Coastkeepers, SLCA, Whaleman Foundation, LB Lifeuard Assn. and Doheny Longboard Club, the Clean Water Now! Coalition is “dedicated to the protection, restoration and preservation of aquatic and riparian ecologies worldwide. (We) support S.M.A.R.T. Model Projects: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Timely.” Non-hazardous and non-toxic waters are “fishable and swimmable,” thus promoting Laguna’s economy and tourism. It has naturally evolved over the years, with early members leaving and/or branching out on their own (SLCA and Coastkeepers in 2000, Sierra Club, Doheny Longboard Club and Surfrider in 2003).

A strong coalition, with several “arms” to it, Clean Water Now! has achieved results in a multitude of areas. On November 9, 1999, Clean Water Now! held “The Night of Endless Bummer,” becoming Orange County’sfirst non-government owned coalition in Orange County history to achieve a special public hearing focused solely on creek and ocean pollution. In April, 1999, founder and water quality activist Roger E. Butow demanded a municipal Environmental Compliance Enforcement Officer position (for 2 officers), presenting the needs and duties, too. Continued watch by Clean Water Now! resulted in major enforcement actions/fines for violations and the formation of new water quality departments in all 12 South Orange County cities.

On the ocean front, Clean Water Now! began its volunteer beach clean-ups, achieving the title of #1 non- government owned beach cleanup program in Orange County for 7 consecutive years, as awarded by the California Coastal Commission. In 2000, Clean Water Now! became the official beach cleanup program administrator for the California Coastal Commission, with its award-winning prototype for these venues stretching over the entire 7 1/2 miles of pristine coastline in Laguna Beach, California. Administering both a quarterly Adopt-A-Beach, as well as a yearly Coastal Cleanup Day,

Clean Water Now!’s beach clean-up graphics are widely touted by Orange County Harbors Beaches & Parks as prototype exemplary reproductions. The inclusion of underwater cleanups by diving groups South OC Divers Club and Project Aware, in coordination with Coastal Cleanup Day, began in 2002, targeting Crescent Bay Beach, Heisler Park/Main Beach and Treasure Island Beach. The clean-ups continue today and remain Clean Water Now’s flagship programs, with thousands of pounds of trash and recycled waste having been collected.

Next weekend, after participating in the City’s Hospitality Night on Friday, December 5th, take some time out on Saturday morning, December 6th to join Clean Water Now! in its quarterly Adopt-A-Beach cleanup. Express your thanks and appreciation for our incredibly beautiful city by donating an hour or two to this cause. From 9:00 am until noon, you may pick up bags, gloves, etc. at Main Beach, Oak Street Beach and Treasure Island at Montage, Laguna Beach.