ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., December 27, 2001 — State water officials are considering expensive new measures to prevent sewage spills, which have caused 25 percent more beach closures in 2001.
The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board recently presented the proposed measures at a public workshop, the Los Angeles Times newspaper reported.
The proposed regulations, which affect agencies that collect sewage in Orange County, would prohibit all spills that reach waterways and require better monitoring and planning. The regulations would establish fines of $5,000 per day.
Orange County beaches were closed a record 51 times this year, an increase of 25 percent from last year.
Most of the spills were caused by grease and roots in sewer lines, the city has said. Health officials say a higher percentage of spills may be reported to them than last year because of a two-year old state law that mandates beach closures if there is a spill of untreated wastewater.
Last year, Orange County officials received reports of 40 spills reaching the ocean.
To read the full story on the L.A. Times web site, visit http://www.latimes.com.
