Santa Monica Beach looking north from the Santa Monica Pier. Beaches along Santa Monica Bay attract millions of visitors every year. Heal the Bay applauds the board’s actions which will help protect public health on Southland beaches.

On March 4, 2008, in a precedent-setting move, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board sent strongly worded notices of violation to 20 Southland cities to clean up their act and stop polluting Santa Monica Bay. The cities of Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and Malibu are among those threatened with fines of up to $10,000 per day if their beaches continue to fail to meet federal bacterial standards.

The action follows years of behind-the-scenes work by Heal the Bay to enforce TMDLs, the federally mandated limits on daily discharge of bacteria, trash, metals and other pollutants that make their way into Southland oceans and watersheds (see sidebar at right). The board may seek civil penalties if it’s proven that local governments have shirked their obligations spelled out in the Los Angeles County Municipal Stormwater Permit. As an example, the city of Malibu has exceeded bacteria limits on its beaches for nearly 500 days since September 2006.

Heal the Bay strongly advocated for incorporating beach bacteria limits as part of Los Angeles County’s storm water permitting process, which is overseen by the Regional Water Board. The board reopened the permit in 2006 and 2007 to include the TMDLs. Because of Heal the Bay’s advocacy, the limits became enforceable. Heal the Bay tracked all bacteria violations of the permit (see table below for 2007 data) and submitted this information to the board. Our staff testified at permit hearings and requested strong regulation.

While some cities have made noticeable improvements in identifying and rectifying sources of ocean pollution, measures to fix chronically polluted beaches like Dockweiler and Surfrider have been inadequate. Heal the Bay applauds the board’s actions, which will help protect public health on beaches that are visited by millions each year.

Bacteria Limits (TMDL) Violations - 2007 Santa Monica Bay Beaches April 1, 2007 through October 29, 2007 Beach Name Total Violations Apr 1, 2007 - Oct 29 2007 Sampling Frequency Santa Monica Municipal Pier 86 Daily Dockweiler State Beach at Ballona Creek mouth 39 Daily Redondo Municipal Pier - 100 yards south 25 Daily Marina del Rey, Mothers' Beach-Playground area 23 Daily Marie Canyon storm drain at Puerco Beach, at 24572 Malibu Rd. 17 Weekly Santa Monica Beach at Pico/Kenter storm drain 12 Daily Surfrider Beach 11 Daily Will Rogers State Beach at Santa Monica Canyon drain 9 Daily Castlerock Storm Drain at Castle Rock Beach 8 Weekly Topanga State Beach at creek mouth 8 Daily Marina del Rey, Mothers' Beach-lifeguard tower 8 Daily Will Rogers State Beach at Temescal Canyon drain 5 Weekly Big Rock Beach at 19948 PCH stairs 5 Weekly Santa Monica Beach at Montana Ave. drain 5 Weekly Venice City Beach at Topsail St. 4 Weekly Manhattan Beach at 28th St. drain 4 Daily Will Rogers State Beach at 17200 PCH 4 Weekly Venice City Beach at Brooks Ave. drain 3 Weekly Solstice Canyon at Dan Blocker County Beach 3 Weekly Venice City Beach at Windward Ave. drain 3 Weekly Paradise Cove Pier at Ramirez Canyon Creek mouth 3 Weekly Ocean Park Beach at Ashland Ave. drain 3 Daily Herondo Street storm drain- 3 Daily Malibu Pier- 50 yards east 3 Weekly Latigo Canyon Creek mouth 3 Weekly Cabrillo Beach, oceanside 2 Weekly Venice Fishing Pier- 50 yards south 2 Weekly Venice City Beach, at the Rose Ave. storm drain 2 Weekly Santa Monica Beach at Wilshire Blvd. drain 2 Weekly Malibu Point 1 Weekly Hyperion Treatment Plant One Mile Outfall 1 Weekly Dockweiler State Beach at Grand Ave. drain 1 Weekly Hermosa City Beach at 26th St. 1 Weekly Dockweiler State Beach at World Way 1 Weekly Puerco State Beach at creek mouth 1 Weekly Walnut Creek, projection of Wildlife Rd. 1 Weekly Escondido Creek, just east of Escondido State Beach 1 Weekly Manhattan Beach Pier drain 1 Weekly Marina del Rey, Mothers' Beach-btwn. Tower and Boat dock 1 2x Weekly Santa Ynez Storm Drain at Castle Rock Beach 1 Weekly Redondo State Beach at Topaz St. - north of jetty 1 Weekly Malaga Cove, Palos Verdes Estates 1 Weekly