Newport Chapter Continuing to Push for Clean Water

The Newport Chapter has been using their water testing program very successfully to continue to keep awareness of pollution issues in their watershed elevated in their city. While improvements have been seen at their local beach, some problems still persist and Surfrider keeps asking for the City and her residents to do more to solve these issues. Two postings below taken from the Surfrider Oregon Blog.

Not Again Newport...we have come so far!

After nearly 2 years of sourcing out sewer misconnections, improving stormwater codes/best management practices, improving notification/postings and cutting down the beach advisories, we're back to a challenging point with sewer overflows at Nye Beach. It seems large volumes of stormwater have been infiltrating the sewer lines (those same lines we thought were inspected and had some pipe-bursting/relining done), resulting in some serious sewage overflows at Nye Beach. The local Blue Water Task Force has been getting readings off the chart, some of the highest we've seen at Nye Beach in our 10 years of testing. What can you do? Demand clean water, join us at the next council meeting (November 23). Note the picture at right and the nebulous "contaminated with...". We can do better!

Sewage at Nye Beach, Where do I come in?

The What

Over the course of the past 3 years, the Newport Chapter of Surfrider Foundation has been working with the City of Newport to improve the Nye beach stormwater and sewer issues that have resulted in high bacteria counts at Nye Beach. While the sewage issues still occur (although less frequent...insert happy face), on occassions of intense rain, these issues may be linked to several problems as close as your backyard. And to that extent, the City of Newport issued some sixty letters to homeowners in the City of Newport to make some improvements for improper connections. Now let's break these issues down a little:

The Why

Bottom line, too much rain in the sewer. You see, these sewer overflows occur because the Nye Beach pump station can only take so much sewage at one time. While the pump station is well equipped to handle our sewer demands and multiple upgrades have occurred over the past few years, it can't handle excessive volumes of rainwater that enter the system. Now wait a second you may say, I thought we had separate systems for rain runoff (stormwater) and sewer lines! And yes, you are correct. The problem is there are places where rainwater can get into the sewer lines...some of them may be at yourhouse. That's right, some of the homes here in Newport have their downspouts from their homes connected to the sewer lines sending high volumes of rain to the system. Of course there are other places like manhole covers for sewer lines and old joints where saturated ground water can make it's way into the sewer system.

The You

The Newport Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is working with the City of Newport on strategies for improving infrastructure and sourcing other non-point sources (which will cover in a future post...as this also involves you). To date the City has been doing extensive source water quality testing up the urban watershed and smoke testing for proper sewer line connections. These tests have found sewer lines connected to storm drain lines sending untreated sewage directly to the beach through the stormwater outfall. They've found homes where small animals being raised are polluting Nye creek with there feces. They've found excessive dump spots for animal and human feces (literally bucket fulls!). And, they've found many homes with improper downspout connections to sewer lines sending rainwater into the sewer system. So, here's where you fit in, from simple to complex:





A) Engage with the Newport Chapter - come to a meeting, help with water quality monitoring...lots of opportunity, figure out what's right for you

B) Check your downspouts - make sure they are properly connected to the stormdrain (not the sewer line!) or if feasible, look into a rain barrel or downspout disconnection and rain garden - click here to learn a little more

C) Clean up! - Be sure and properly dispose of your pet waste...every little bit counts and can add up quickly in an urban watershed.

Beyond Graphs and Tables: Effective Communication of Water Quality Results

The Astoria High School BWTF students made this photo montage to demonstrate their concern with a polluted stormwater outfall that drains onto a local beach. The water that drains from the Ecola Court Outfall in Cannon Beach often fails to meet water quality standards. This is of particular concern because during the summer time children often play in this shallow, slow-moving, stream.

Surfrider showed this YouTube video at a recent Cannon Beach City Council meeting and asked the City to form a task force to address the pollution problem at Ecola Court Outfall. Surfrider asked for public notices to be posted when the water fails to meet standards and would like the City to investigate the source of pollution in their storm water system.

A Task Force has been assembled and now the real work begins. Great job raising the awareness of a local pollution problem. Let's hope the City is sincere in finding and fixing the source of pollution.

This issue at Ecola Court Outfall and the student's water testing program have also succeeded in grabbing the attention of the local newspaper. Front page story below.

Alarm on the Coast
Finding a needle in the haystack
Contamination at Ecola Court Outfall raises concerns in Cannon Beach

By NANCY MCCARTHY
The Daily Astorian

CANNON BEACH - Among the most popular accesses to Cannon Beach is the asphalt path behind the Wayfarer Restaurant in midtown.

Situated between the restaurant and Ecola Inn, the path follows a stream that emerges from the bank and flows to the ocean.

Because the slow-moving stream is shallow in the summer, children often play in the middle of it, building sand dams or shoveling sand into plastic buckets.

But water quality tests in that stream, also known as the "Ecola Court Outfall," show that bacteria thrive there. This year, between March and September, when Cannon Beach sees its greatest number of tourists, 10 out of the 20 water quality tests performed by the state Department of Human Services failed to meet safety standards. The bacteria count in one of those tests was 10 times higher than the standard needed to establish a health advisory warning.

Another four tests indicated that the bacteria count was high but not enough to issue a health advisory.

The problem isn't new, said Charlie Plybon, Oregon field coordinator for Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit organization that monitors water quality along Oregon's coast.

For the past two years, 27 out of 63 tests have failed, and five of those had 10 times the number of bacteria allowed before a warning is triggered.

The state issues a health advisory when the water sample contains more than 158 organisms per 100 milliliters. The highest number detected was on Aug. 11, 2008, when the state found 2,481 organisms per 100 milliliters.

"There's a sign posted that warns folks that the water is not treated, but it doesn't warn folks when the water is contaminated," Plybon told the Cannon Beach City Council at a recent meeting.

Plybon asked the council to form a task force to look into the source of the bacteria. He also wants the city to improve its notification procedure.

Although he doesn't have documented proof of health problems arising from the outfall, Plybon said a mother had told him that her two children, who had been playing in the water all weekend, came down with bladder infections.

"There have been a number of staph infections of people who had contact with the water," Plybon added. "It's difficult to say where they were coming from, but there's a pretty darn good chance that they may have come from the water."

Plybon said this week that he received numerous calls and e-mails in September from people who were concerned about the daily state health advisories they were seeing on the Oregon Department of Human Services Web site. The human services department is in charge of monitoring water for Oregon.

"In September I was bombarded by business owners, folks who visit part time and local residents," Plybon said. "They felt the city was not doing all it could be doing."

Although Cannon Beach attracts thousands of tourists daily during the summer, it is not subject to state penalties for water contamination because its permanent population is less than 10,000, Plybon said.

The water draining into the outfall has no connection to the city's drinking water system, which is treated in a wastewater treatment plant east of Spruce Street.

Surfrider wants to help the city conduct more tests on its stormwater lines to find the contamination source. Such tests might include a "smoke" examination that would determine if storm lines were accidentally connected to sewer lines. In that test, smoke "bombs" are discharged into a storm drain line, and if residents see smoke coming from their roof vents, they know they have been connected to a sewer line instead of the storm drainage line.

Plybon conducted a similar test in Newport after state tests there revealed a high degree of contamination. There, they found 10 homes - all built within the past 10 years - had the improper connections.

In Brookings, "we accidentally stumbled upon a school that had been hooked up wrong for 30 years," Plybon said.

But city Public Works Director Mark See said Cannon Beach did smoke tests 10 years ago to determine if some storm drain lines were mistakenly connected to sewer lines, and only one house was found to have a misconnection.

"I'm perfectly willing to do additional testing," See said. "A new connection can happen. But we have looked for the telltale signs and we haven't found anything."

One public works employee even crawled into a drain pipe as far as he could go, looking for toilet tissue that might have gotten caught inside. This would indicate sewage had flowed through the pipe. He found nothing.

The city has made a "concerted effort" to separate the storm system from the sanitary system, See said. However, during periods of heavy rain, the systems may overflow, he noted.

The city also has worked with Oregon State University to conduct DNA tests. Employees have tracked down birds, elk, raccoons and even a bobcat to get fecal samples so the OSU researcher could compare them to the DNA in the bacteria from water samples in the outflow.

"Overwhelmingly, there's a very large contribution from birds," See said. "They roost on roofs of buildings and their waste runs down the roof to the drains and into the drainage system," he said.

From there, it enters the stream and flows through the outfall pipe and onto the beach.

"There could be thousands of sources," See added. "It doesn't make any difference what the critter is. In the warmer months, when the stream is slow, bacteria can grow faster." When tests conducted by the state showed health violations for eight consecutive weeks between Aug. 4, 2008 and Sept. 29, 2008, and human feces was found in some of those tests, See said he had his public works employees collected their own water samples along the stream.

See said the creek runs through midtown, from east of U.S. Highway 101, down Sunset Boulevard, along Spruce Street to Dawes Street. It goes underground around Evergreen Street and flows under Gower Street until it emerges from the bank behind the Wayfarer Restaurant.

Discovery made

While taking water samples along the stream's route, the crews discovered that, as the creek moved west, it flowed into a drainage basin near a garbage collection area at an apartment complex. Garbage cans containing diapers had fallen over, and the diapers were near the water. See believes that was the source for the fecal matter at that time.

Following the incident, contaminants in the outfall were reduced until last March, according to the state's tests.

Plybon agreed that testing the DNA in water samples shows what may be in the water, but "they don't quantify what's there."

"You may have a whole suite of animals, but that doesn't tell what's in the majority," he said.

Astoria resident Tom Oxwang, who, with his wife, Gretel, has "adopted" a mile-long stretch of beach to monitor for Oregon Coast Watch, regularly walks past the outfall on his patrol.

"I see children playing in the creek, digging channels in it. It's difficult to see children there, especially without a sign and knowing the reports that we're seeing," he said.

City councilors agreed that more effort needs to be made to reduce the hazard.

"It's important that we get a handle on this, whether it's bird DNA or dirty diapers," said Councilor Melissa Cadwallader. "It's not going to be a quick fix, but it's going to be an important fix."

There are things the city and local residents can do, Plybon said: They could build bioswales along parking lots or in yards to capture pollutants before they go into the drainage system; they could educate themselves and visitors about proper ways to dispose of diapers and animal waste; and they could disconnect their stormwater drains.

"The best solution is preventing these things from happening," Plybon added.

See said a filter box could be installed to remove the pollutants as the outfall flows from the tidegate behind the Wayfarer Restaurant, but that would cost $1 million and another $10,000 a year to maintain.

By October and November, when the rains come, the stream runs quicker, and pollutants that accumulated in the summer are flushed out. Past tests show the bacteria count is reduced to 10 to 50 organisms per 100 milliliters, and sometimes no bacteria is detected.

Both Plybon and See said they plan to work together on writing grants that will pay for ways to control the contaminants entering the stream.

"I like to think that there's always a fix for everything," See said. "Will it be a place that never tests over the allowed bacterial count? No. There are too many variables."

XplOregon

This summer the Newport Chapter hosted 4 stops for the XplOregon teen road trips program from June through August. The kids arrived on Wednesday nights to set up camp in South Beach or Beverley Beach State Parks. On Thursday morning Newport Chapter volunteers (Matt, Beth, Phil, Joe) met with groups to introduce the Blue Water Task Force program. The kids then went out and collected water samples from 4 different beaches and returned them to the Oregon Coast Aquarium water quality lab where Tricia Ratliff (OCA Youth Volunteer Coordinator) and Charlie (Surfrider OR field coordinator) led them on a tour of the lab, explaining the testing equipment and protocols. The kids then had surfing lessons at one of the beaches where they tested. On Friday morning, Newport Chapter volunteers led the kids on a 2 hour beach cleanup followed with the group returning to the Aquarium to see the results from their water testing of the previous day.

Through this program the XplOregon teens and the Surfrider Foundation formed a strong partnership, advancing youth coastal stewardship values in Oregon for a group of kids who otherwise have little experience with ocean resources.

BWTF Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Blue Water Task Force?

The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is a chapter-based, water quality monitoring program, run by volunteers. Most chapters test the water at their favorite beaches, but some chapters also sample upstream in their watersheds if there are freshwater areas important for recreation or if they are investigating the sources of beach water pollution.

2. What are we testing for?

The methods used by the BWTF measure the amount of indicator bacteria in a water sample. E. coli (not the same species that causes food poisoning) is measured in freshwater samples, and Enterococcus bacteria are measured in marine water to determine the health risk of exposure to these waters. The water quality standard mandated by the EPA to open and close beaches in the U.S. is based on these bacteria.

While not harmful on their own account, E. coli and Enterococcus are both types of fecal bacteria that can indicate the presence of more dangerous microorganisms and viruses. Fecal bacteria are found primarily in the intestinal tracts of mammals and birds, and are released into the environment through human and animal feces.

Fecal pollution at beaches could come from pets and wildlife, human sewage leaks or spills, and storm water runoff (especially in locations where sanitary sewers and storm sewers are combined). If the levels of indicator bacteria are high, then there are likely to also be other contaminants in the water found in human or animal feces that could make people sick, generally with skin rashes or gastro-intestinal symptoms.

Read more about indicator bacteria and why we test for them in Surfrider’s Coastal A-Z or on the University of Rhode Island Watershed Watch website .

3. Why are chapters testing beach water?

A) To provide information on the safety of swimming and surfing at the beaches in their community.

Surfrider volunteers can collect samples from beaches that are not covered by city or state monitoring programs, or during times when no one else is testing, i.e. during the off-peak winter season. Some chapters sample the same beaches as their local agencies, but stagger their sampling times. For instance if the Department of Health samples only on Mondays, then the chapter collects samples on Thursday or Friday.

You can read about how other chapters are using their BWTF programs to fill-in information gaps on the BWTF blog.

B) Education

Many BWTF programs are based in high schools and expose students and other youth groups to environmental science and local water quality and pollution issues. Participating in water testing programs is also educational for adult volunteers.

C) Motivate a movement of care for our coasts

BWTF volunteers often become advocates for the beaches and watersheds they are monitoring and are inspired to make changes at their schools, homes and businesses to decrease their impact on local waterways. The BWTF youth volunteers in Newport, Oregon clearly demonstrate this ethic and are working to promote coastal stewardship in their community.

D) Increase public awareness of local water quality issues

BWTF volunteers let their communities know about the areas where pollution is detected and bring their concerns to their local officials and environmental agencies.

E) Solve water quality problems, prevent pollution

BWTF volunteers often try to determine what is causing the pollution when their water samples consistently test high for bacteria. Many chapters bring their data to local officials when water quality issues are discovered, press for further investigation, and offer solutions. Read more here.

4) Do I need any formal science training or previous experience to start this program?

No. The water testing methods used by the BWTF can be mastered by most after a few trial runs. A manual is posted online and you can contact Mara Dias, Surfrider’s Water Quality Coordinator, mdias@surfrider.org, if you need any help along the way.

5) Can I get sick or otherwise harmed from performing these water tests?

Probably Not. It is recommended that everyone puts on plastic gloves before handling a water sample. This prevents any cross contamination of bacteria from your hands to the water and vice versa. Washing your hands with an anti-bacterial soap after sampling and when you are finished in the laboratory will also ensure that you don’t expose yourself to any bacteria that may or might not be in your samples. It is also recommended that you proceed with caution on slippery ground and rough surf so as to not fall into the water.

In general, it is also recommended for your safety that you take a shower after swimming in the ocean or digging in the sand, to rinse away any potential contaminants that might be in the water. USGS lab experiments have shown that submerging one’s hands four times in clean water removes more than 99% of the E. coli and associated viruses from the hands.

6) How much does it cost to start a water testing program?

It depends which method you choose to use. You can test your water samples by using either an IDEXX Quantitray Sealer or a multiple test tube method. The sealer is easier to use, generates less disposables and gives more specific results, but it is more costly, at approximately $6000 for the initial laboratory set-up. The multiple test tube method costs about $2000 for the initial laboratory set-up, and certainly would be a good start for a chapter interested in trying out the program. Both set-ups come with enough supplies to run approximately 200 water samples. Once supplies need to be replaced, it costs about $6 in expendable materials to process each sample.

Contact Mara Dias once you’ve decided to start this program to order water testing equipment and supplies.

7) How many volunteers do you need to run this program?

It depends on how many beaches you want to sample. The basic functions you need to cover are collecting water samples at the beach, delivering them to the lab, processing the samples for analysis and reading the results the next day. One person is able to cover all of these tasks for some chapters that sample only a few beaches, while other chapters designate a BWTF coordinator that manages 10-20 volunteers.

8) How much time is required of the volunteers?

Again, it depends on how many beaches are sampled. It could take as little as thirty minutes to collect the water samples and bring them to the lab or upwards to 3-4 hours. Each sample takes less than 10 minutes to prepare in the laboratory once you’ve mastered the procedure. Somebody also needs to return to the lab the next day to read the results and enter the data on the BWTF website (usually less than 30 mins).

9) Do I need a lot of space to set-up the water testing equipment?

The space requirement isn’t huge. You need a small working space, a counter top or small table in a garage or basement could suffice. You also need a place to store the incubator and sealer, if you choose to use one. The incubator is the size of a very small dorm fridge, and the sealer is the size of a really small, inexpensive microwave oven. Both run on 110v power.

Planning a Beach Monitoring Program: Initial Considerations

If you have decided to join the Blue Water Task Force and start testing the water at your local beaches, this posting is for you!

In order to set up a successful water-testing program, there are a number of things you should consider first and plan with your chapter.

1. Why do you want to test the water? What are you concerned about?

It is important to have a clear objective for your water-testing program before you begin. A clear objective or defined purpose will help you design a water testing program to meet your chapter’s unique interests and needs. All the rest of the details can then follow.

Does your chapter suspect a pollution problem at a particular beach? Are there beaches in your area that are not being tested by the authorities? Are you looking for a program to activate your membership or to reach out to youth? Perhaps you have a data need for an ongoing campaign.

FAQ #3 in previous post describes the purposes and objectives of different BWTF chapter programs. There is also a really good discussion of sources of beach pollution in Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) “Testing the Waters” report that might give you some ideas on what factors could be affecting your local beaches.

2. Who else is testing your beaches?

Before you choose what beaches you want to sample, or if additional testing is even necessary, you should find out who is monitoring water quality in your area and which beaches they are sampling.

A good place to start looking is in the “Testing the Waters” report. By following this online report to your state’s summary, you will find all of the government agencies that are conducting beach monitoring, a discussion of the standards and procedures used to issue swimming advisories and beach closures, and a list of the covered beaches in your area.

Much of the same information can be found on the Surfrider Foundation’s State of the Beach Report, as well as discussions of local water quality issues and contacts to state and local beach monitoring programs. Follow the State of the Beach Report to your state and click on Water Quality.

There could also be other volunteer groups testing the water in your watershed. There is a directory of volunteer monitoring groups on the EPA’s website. You might be able to find another local group in this directory.

You can also look to the government agencies and other NGOs who are running beach monitoring programs in your area to look for opportunities to partner. Many chapters have formed very successful partnerships to implement their Blue Water Task Force programs.

3. Where & when should we sample?

Once you determine who is testing in your area, look for any gaps: either beaches that aren’t being sampled or perhaps months or seasons when no testing is being done at all. You also might want to test the water at the most popular surfing beaches or at beaches where you suspect or know there are sources of pollution nearby.

You can set up your monitoring plan to sample weekly, biweekly or monthly. You might want to sample throughout the year or just during the fall, winter & spring months when there might not be anyone else doing any monitoring in your area. How many beaches and how often you sample are going to largely depend on how much you are able to spend, how many volunteers you have and of course, the objective of your particular testing program.

4. How much money can my chapter afford to spend on this program?

Testing water costs money. It could run anywhere from $2000 - $6000 to get a water testing program started, with an ongoing cost of approximately $6 per sample (see FAQ #5 in previous post).

Does your chapter have funds to run this program already in the bank, or will you need to hold fundraisers to raise the money? It is important to consider cost and your chapter’s available funds when choosing which method to use and how many samples you plan on collecting.

5. What method should we use to analyze our water samples?

You will need to choose between using an IDEXX Quantitray Sealer or the multiple test tube method. The sealer is easier to use, generates less disposables and gives more specific results. It is also an EPA approved method, but it is more costly, at approximately $6000 for the initial laboratory set-up. The multiple test tube method costs about $2000 for the initial laboratory set-up, and certainly would be a good start for a chapter interested in trying out the program. Both set-ups come with enough supplies to run approximately 200 water samples. Once supplies need to be replaced, it costs about $6 in expendable materials to process each sample. Cost is usually the deciding factor in method selection.

Contact Mara Dias (mdias@surfrider.org) for a complete list of laboratory equipment and supplies needed and current pricing.

6. How many people in my chapter are interested in volunteering their time to collect and process water samples? Do we have one or two committed volunteers to coordinate the program?

In order to build a successful, volunteer water testing program, you need to make sure that the work required does not exceed the capacity of the volunteers that you have to implement the program (see FAQ #7 in previous post). For instance, you can’t monitor 30 beaches every week with 2 volunteers. When you design your sampling plan and decide on the number of beaches you want to monitor and the frequency of sampling, you need to consider the number of volunteers that you have, the amount of time they are able to volunteer each week (or month), and the distance your target beaches are from each other and from the lab.

This is also a good time to consider how you can recruit volunteers into the program and provide incentives to keep people motivated. Volunteer turn-over is often the biggest challenge faced by volunteer water testing programs.

7. Where will we set up our water-testing laboratory?

While the space requirement isn’t huge (see FAQ #8 in previous post) you do need a place to store your equipment and supplies and process the water samples. A central location near the target beaches, that is easily accessible to volunteers for sample drop-off, works best. Samples need to be kept cool during transport and must be prepared within 6 hours of being collected.

Some chapters have formed partnerships with environmental labs, aquariums & other non-profits to host their lab space.

8. Do we have to worry about complicated Quality Control procedures?

The quality control requirements for this volunteer water-testing program are minimal. It is important to follow the outlined procedures step-by-step each time you sample and perform lab work, but at least in the beginning, there is no reason for a volunteer laboratory to adopt complicated Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) that are required of labs whose data have regulatory and enforcement authority. For instance, a county department of health laboratory that runs samples so that decisions can be made to close or open beaches would have to follow strict QAPP procedures.

Besides following the outlined procedures exactly, it is also recommended that chapter water testing programs run a blank with their samples and an occasional duplicate sample to check for precision and bias in their results.

9. What will we do with our data?

Before you start collecting water samples, you should determine what you are going to do with your data. There is an online database, accessible through the Surfrider Foundation’s website, where each chapter’s BWTF data can be stored and viewed. Someone at Surfrider headquarters can help build a data input page specifically for your chapter, showing your local beaches or other sample locations. For more information contact Mark Babski, mbabski@surfrider.org

In addition to entering your data into this database, there are a host of different media you can use to share your data and raise the visibility of your water testing program and your chapter in your community. Many chapters post their data or put a link to the BWTF database on their websites. You can prepare a brief report to email to your chapter members and other interested parties, local newspapers, local government or surfshops. You could also post a flier (see example) at the beach and around town showing your data. Many student-based BWTF programs hold community events at the end of a school year or semester to present their findings and discuss local water quality issues. Some even make presentations before their city council.

You should also identify who you are going to bring your concerns to if your data make you suspect that there is a pollution problem at one of your testing sites. This could be the local department of health or environmental agency, city council or mayor. Read how Surfrider chapters have used the findings from their water testing programs to bring awareness to a pollution problem and to motivate their local governments to investigate the sources of pollution and take steps towards remediation.

10. How do we know if our program is successful?

It is always wise to take the time to step back from the routine of running your water-testing program to evaluate what is working well and what areas could be improved upon. If you plan this evaluation from the onset, then you will be more likely to make this effort. Ideally this evaluation would include a discussion with your volunteers and the chapter’s executive committee and would be presented at a chapter meeting to ensure that the water-testing program remains tied-in with the local chapter’s needs and interests.

11. Questions?

If you have any questions on anything you’ve read on this page or about starting up a water-testing program please contact Mara Dias, Surfrider’s Water Quality Coordinator, at mdias@surfrider.org

You may also find some useful tips in the EPA’s guide for starting a volunteer monitoring program.

Kaua'i BWTF makes local headlines again. This time on the front page!

The Chapter shared their results with a reporter that they have been working with to cover water pollution issues on the island. The paper's investigation has led to questionable storm water pumping practices of a neighboring resort. Hopefully, this public awareness will also lead to better notification of potential health risks from polluted water and political will to solve this pollution problem.

Local news story below and online.

Remnants of run-off water pumped from a dry well by Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club on Oct. 5 are seen in this photo taken two days later. Bacteria levels were elevated Saturday at Kalapaki Bay prior to last weekend’s heavy rainfall based on data collected by Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i. Robert Zelkovsky/Contributed Photo

Kalapaki water quality concerns residents

by Coco Zickos - The Garden Island

Published: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:10 AM HST

KALAPAKI — Bacteria levels measured more than 40 times state and federally deemed safe levels at Kalapaki stream early Saturday morning based on samples collected by Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i volunteers.

A sample taken from Kalapaki Bay contained elevated levels of enterococcus bacteria — the current indicator for fecal matter — even though the water “looked clean” and it was “prior to heavy rainfall,” said Dr. Carl Berg of Surfrider.

While the source of contamination remains unknown, some have speculated possible sources.

One resident said he witnessed individuals from Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club pumping run-off water from a dry well into a “pit in the sand” at Kalapaki on Oct. 5.

“It looked foul and smelled awful,” Robert Zelkovsky of Surfrider said Friday. “The whole thing didn’t look right to me.”

Chauncey Hew, a geologist for the Department of Health’s Underground Injection Control Programming Unit, said the occurrence has actually been a “long standing and unresolved issue” and that the facility has a “number of drainage wells” that have been reported to have “overflows.”

“I just think it should be disposed of properly and not just into the sand,” said Zelkovsky, who reported the incident to the DOH. “To contribute to the condition of Kalapaki in any way is just not pono.”

A Marriott spokesperson provided a statement via e-mail from the hotel’s General Manager Elliot Mills:

“The dry well at Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club was filled with heavy rainfall on Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and Oct. 9. Consistent with procedures approved by the Department of Health, to prevent overflow, Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club released the water from the well, which took the path to Kalapaki Beach. The effects did not cause any beach closure. Kalapaki Beach remains open for water recreation activities.”

The DOH completed an inspection Sept. 21, according to Engineering Section Supervisor JoAnna Seto. An individual had reportedly “observed what was occurring and made a report” at that time as well.

“Based on the inspection, the Clean Water Branch will be doing enforcement,” she said Wednesday. “We’re trying to get more information.”

From a pollution standpoint, Hew said the quality of run-off water is “not that bad,” unless there is “some kind of abuse or redirection of water,” such as shower water or cesspool drainage.

“They may not be breaking any rules,” he said, adding that they will be “getting an accurate count on the number of drains, their operating condition and type of wastewaters that may be entering into them.”

When asked how the county responds to such issues as water quality and whether it has considered working with organizations, such as Surfrider, to warn individuals of potentially hazardous water conditions, Beth Tokioka, executive assistant to Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., said it is the county’s preference to “have DOH at the table.”

“Currently our procedures call for us to close beaches and/or erect warning signs upon notification from the Department of Health,” she wrote in an e-mail.

The Clean Water Branch will soon be losing four of its 10 staff members under the state’s proposed layoffs, Monitoring and Analysis Section Chief Watson Okubo said last month.

“Even though we don’t know the cause, there should be warning signs,” Berg said, regarding Kalapaki stream’s continuously high levels of bacteria.

Pathogens from polluted waters cause illnesses such as vomiting, headache, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, skin, ear, eye and respiratory infections, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

• Coco Zickos, business and environmental writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or czickos@kauaipubco.com.

Posting Pollution Advisories on Kaua'i

The Kauai Chapter has just succeeded in convincing the State Department of Health to post a pollution advisory sign at a chronically polluted, but very popular beach. This is the first time any such permanent sign has been posted on the island warning people of poor water quality. The advisory has been posted at a heavily used, recreational spot along the Hanalei River.

The Chapter, led by BWTF Coordinator Dr. Carl Berg, is continuing to petition the State to post the other chronically polluted beaches on the island as well. The Department of Health, however, wants more information about the source of bacteria pollution at these beaches before it posts any more signs. Specifically, the State wants to confirm that there are human sources (septic systems or leeching pools) contributing to these polluted beaches before further warning the public of the potential health risk.

The Chapter has been trying to facilitate some source tracking studies on Kaua'i to provide the information they need to convince the State to post more signs and take steps to prevent the pollution from reaching the beaches in the first place. So far, the University of Stanford has started sampling and will hopefully be able to shed some light on where the pollution is coming from.

Local coverage of this issue can be found on The Garden Island's website.

Kauai's Clean Water Initiatives

In July of 2009, the Surfrider Foundation Kaua'i Chapter hosted four groups of teenagers from Adventures Cross Country, a community service group from the mainland, who traveled to Hawai'i to learn responsibility, stewardship and to enjoy Hawai'i's natural beauty. The Kaua'i Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation conducts regular monthly Net Patrols and removals, beach clean ups and Blue Water Task Force water quality testing. The enthusiastic teens of ARCC accompanied Kaua'i Surfrider volunteer leaders during these clean water initiatives.

Check out the video here.

Water Testing at Kaua'i Beaches

In Kaua'i, only 5 beaches are regularly monitored by the State. The Surfrider Chapter, however, is expanding on this beach program by testing 16 beaches monthly for bacteria. Results are posted on the Chapter's website.

Although, this remote Hawaiian island may conjure up visions of pristine beaches, unfortunately pollution washing down from the land has become a reality at some Kaua'i beaches. This issue has received local media attention recently (below) with comments by the Chapter's BWTF Manager, Dr. Carl Berg.

Is the water safe for swimming?



Water under the bridge: Waves wash into a Hanapepe drainage ditch, Sunday. A brown water advisory remains in effect on Kaua‘i.

Bacteria source questioned; advisory continues
By Coco Zickos - The Garden Island
Published: Monday, August 17, 2009 2:10 AM HST

http://www.kauaiworld.com

• Editor’s note: This is the first article in an ongoing series to run periodically that will examine Kaua‘i water quality.

LIHU‘E — Questionable water conditions continued to lurk Sunday, as brown waves rolled onto shorelines and murky rivers and streams flowed into the ocean.

Bacteria counts are always higher after heavy rains, but it can’t be confirmed whether the cause is human waste, said Watson Okubo, monitoring and analysis section chief of the Department of Health’s Clean Water Branch.

While enterococcus — a bacteria commonly found in the feces of humans and animals — is known to be in many bodies of water throughout the island, Watson says it “may or may not be from human fecal matter.”

As of 2004, enterococcus, as opposed to e. coli, became the new indicator for federal standards of water quality at public beaches because it reportedly provides a higher correlation to many of the human pathogens often fou nd in sewage, according to a study from Water Environment Research.

Pathogens from polluted waters cause illnesses such as vomiting, headache, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, skin, ear, eye and respiratory infections, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The day before heavy rains saturated the islands Wednesday night and Thursday morning, a routine sampling completed by the DOH found that Hanalei Bay, at the end of Weke Road at Black Pot Beach, resulted in a 500 count of enterococcus per 100 mL of water — about five times the state’s “safe” level standard.

The number of bacteria in the water at Black Pot after Felicia’s remnants passed through could not be obtained by press time.

Additional tests were completed, however, by Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i on a volunteer basis Saturday. Kalapaki Stream — which is not tested by the DOH, as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 does not require inland water monitoring — had the highest count of enterococcus at 1,467.

“Just because you have a high enterococcus count does not mean you have a high sewage discharge,” Okubo said Friday.

Dr. Carl Berg of Kaua‘i Surfrider Foundation agreed. Enterococcus is not the “end all” indicator, he said. But, it’s no coincidence that there are a high number of cesspool and septic sewage systems which line the coasts of Kaua‘i.

Cesspools are dry wells or pits that leach untreated liquid sewage into the ground. Septic systems move waste into a multi-chamber tank with pipes which spread out over a large area and have perforations that the sewage absorbs into the ground from.

If either of these are not maintained properly, leached wastewater can infiltrate coastal recreational waters, according to the NRDC.

There are some 8,900 cesspools on Kaua‘i, largely residential, said Tom See of the Environmental Management Division of the DOH Wastewater Branch. Since 2004, new cesspools are no longer allowed on Kaua‘i.

“From the state perspective, there are currently no efforts to require functioning cesspools to be upgraded to septic systems or aerobic units unless the cesspool is in the groundwater or it is failing,” See said Friday.

The EPA requires large capacity cesspools — those which service 20 or more people a day and those at multi-dwelling residential units — to be upgraded, he added.

To upgrade from a cesspool to septic system the cost might be between $8,000 and $20,000, depending on site conditions, See said.

Though Hawai‘i beaches often rank high with entities such as Travelocity and Dr. Beach, Berg said data can be skewed depending on which beaches are tested, where the samples are collected and their proximity to rivers and streams.

For instance, neither Hanama‘ulu, which was ranked the 10th most polluted beach in the nation by the NRDC in 2007, or Waimea Recreational Pier State Park, which was considered the most polluted in the state in 2008, are tested on a regular basis.

Only five sites — Po‘ipu Beach Park, Kalapaki Beach, Hanalei Beach Park, Salt Pond Beach Park and Lydgate State Park — out of 73 on Kaua‘i are tested at least once a week and the samples are drawn from only one location on the beach.

So how can the public know what they are swimming in?

Besides common knowledge that whatever is in the ground and on the land will eventually seep into storm drains and rivers when it rains, thus flowing into the ocean, the first step toward cleaner waters is initiating comprehensive testing for enterococcus, Berg said.

The next step would be to determine which areas are of greatest concern and determining whether the bacteria can be attributed to human waste.

The ultimate goal would be to correct the situation, Berg said.

A brown water advisory is still in effect for the island, according to the state Clean Water Branch.

The public is advised to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, chemicals and associated flood debris. If coastal waters are turbid and brown, stay out.

• Coco Zickos, business and environmental writer

Santa Cruz Chapter BWTF

The Santa Cruz Chapter in California recently received some local media attention for their BWTF program, story below.

Also, check out their BWTF webpage

Our Ocean Backyard: Surfing cleaner waters

Posted: 08/08/2009 01:30:23 AM PDT by Dan Haifley, Santa Cruz Sentinel http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/rss/ci_13020624?source=rss

Irish philosopher George Berkeley once posed the question: if a tree falls and no one's around to hear it, would it really make a sound?

If he were alive today, he could also ask: Would our water quality be any better if nobody bothered to check?

Of course water contamination would exist even if people weren't looking for it. But people do pay attention, which helps make the quality of the water flowing through streams and storm drains to the sea safer.

Some who test water quality are volunteers, and some, such as surfers and farmers, have a direct stake in its outcomes. And, they are really good at it.

One project occurred on a Saturday last May when 224 volunteers took a snapshot of Central Coast water quality. Complementing that is a year-round effort by volunteers for Surfrider Santa Cruz.

Surfrider Santa Cruz is a chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, an international nonprofit organization of surfers that burst onto the scene in the early 1990s after winning a water quality judgment against a pulp mill in Eureka.

Local Surfrider volunteers have adopted several area beaches that they monitor for levels of indicator bacteria E. coli and enterococci, which are organic contaminants. When levels of these indicator bacteria exceed California's established recreational standards -- 400 colonies per 100 milliliters for E. coli and 104 colonies per 100 milliliters for enterococci -- beachgoers have an increased risk for exposure o microbes that cause water-related illnesses.
Sarah Mansergh, volunteer lab coordinator for Surfrider Santa Cruz, says: "Overall, we have some pretty clean beaches. The Los Angeles-based Heal the Bay has even rated Natural Bridges and Twin Lakes beaches as A+' for not exceeding recreational standards at all in their recent water quality report."

The picture is not perfect, however. Mansergh says: "A few other beach areas aren't as healthy. San Lorenzo river mouth, Cowell's Beach, Schwan Lake and Capitola Beach still routinely show elevated levels of indicator bacteria." Why point out these flaws? To get some help.

And help for impacted areas is on the way. Funding has been secured for a San Lorenzo River project to help preserve water quality when flows are low or non-existent, as well as the Rio del Mar Esplanade sewer replacement project. Those improvements should result in better water quality at area beaches.

Surfrider's water quality team has 12 volunteers who collect samples for examination at their lab. More volunteers participate in beach cleanups, storm drain stenciling, education programs and the chapter's "Wipe Out Plastic Takeout" campaign to reduce plastics in our waterways.

Mansergh says, "Visit our Web site for upcoming events and resources, and what you can do to keep our beaches healthy. You can also do plenty on your own like not dumping into storm drains, planting an ocean-friendly garden and keeping those plastic bags and cigarette butts out of our waterways."

The Surfrider Foundation has local chapters including San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Monterey -- each with a water quality program. Go to www.surfrider.org , click "Chapters."

My next column: agriculture in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's watersheds.

Dan Haifley is the executive director of O'Neill Sea Odyssey. He can be reached at dhaifley@oneillseaodyssey.org.

South Bay Chapter hosts Teach and Test program year-end party and presentations

On May 17th at SEA Lab in Redondo Beach, 30 students from four South Bay high schools participating in the Surfrider Foundation’s Teach and Test Program presented their results that reflect seven months of water quality testing at 13 local beaches. As part of the program, students from Westchester, El Segundo, Redondo and Torrance High, South, collected water samples every other Sunday and analyzed bacteria levels. The SEA Lab presentation and awards ceremony marked the end of the Teach and Test period for 2008-2009.

“Besides Styrofoam, we found a lot of food wrappers in the water,” said Michelle Pena, President of the Redondo Union High School Ecology Club. “These findings show that people are just lazy.”

In addition to trash on the beach, students studied the effects the Ballona Wetlands have on bacterial count reduction. The presentation included a slide show explaining the mechanisms within the wetland that attributed to the degradation of bacteria, which allowed a larger amount of clean water to enter the ocean.

One group of students presented their Teach and Test results in a public forum and interviewed local citizens about the beaches in their neighborhood. They offered solutions to water quality problems such as turning off automatic sprinklers to reduce excess run-off, disposing of cigarettes properly and using natural fertilizers.

Entering its fifth year, the Teach and Test program’s primary goal is to foster future environmental stewardship among students, create community awareness about local water quality, and provide realistic solutions to improve conditions. Surfrider Foundation South Bay Chapter volunteers mentor the students and the beach and provide guidance as they collect water samples. Back in the labs, local high school teachers guide the students through the analysis process. Since the inception of the Teach and Test program, six students have been accepted to science programs at their chosen universities and two current students won LA Science Fair awards. The majority of students will return next year, and are excited to participate with their fellow students and Surfrider volunteers.

Newport Aquarium Youth Volunteers: BWTF & Ocean Friendly Gardens

The water samples for the Newport Chapter’s BWTF program are analyzed at the Newport Aquarium by a group of Youth Volunteers. This is a symbiotic partnership that works well for both groups. In the past the youth volunteers have been pretty instrumental in getting the City of Newport to pay attention to the requests that the Chapter had been making, including tracking the source of pollution in the Nye Creek Watershed and recommendations for BMPs to address non-point sources.

This year the Youth Volunteers have continued to run the BWTF lab, and have also taken on a project to implement another Surfrider program, Ocean Friendly Gardens, at the Aquarium. It is great to see this group move beyond basic water testing and work on ways to improve water quality in their community.

With a little guidance from Oregon’s Field Coordinator, Charlie Plybon, the kids set out in October ‘08, met once a month, and produced the following goals:

1) Assess the Aquarium grounds for ocean friendly techniques
2) Educate the Aquarium visitors on ocean friendly garden and landscape techniques
3) Educate outside the Aquarium audience through online social networking
4) Maintain BWTF lab analysis

Here’s what they achieved during the seven-month project:

1) Worked with groundskeepers and landscape staff at the Aquarium to identify and improve upon ocean friendly techniques. Researched Surfrider Ocean Friendly Garden techniques and other LID approaches and best practices for water quality.
2) Created signage on the aquarium grounds to spotlight OFG techniques (see above). They put together 3 signs throughout the Aquarium grounds.
3) Developed an OFG poster and display with Surfrider OFG brochures.
4) Developed a powerpoint presentation to deliver to Aquarium visitors on their project and OFG techniques.
3) Developed a video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxCsEtcjGzY   
4) Continued water quality lab work throughout the winter for the local BWTF. Ran over 100 samples for local beaches and Nye watershed.
5) Gave a final public presentation.

Santa Monica High School Year End Event: Presenting Water Quality Data

The West Los Angeles/ Malibu Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has teamed up with students from Santa Monica High School to raise awareness about water quality in the Santa Monica Bay. The students will hold a free “Teach & Test” event on June 11 to share the results of their yearlong study of the bay and discuss ways to clean up California’s beaches and shorelines.

The Teach & Test Program was established through grants from the West LA/Malibu chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and a number of public and private sponsors, including Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots organization. Aimed at inspiring change in the community and encouraging environmental awareness through hands-on laboratory experience, the program invited Santa Monica High School students to participate in a yearlong research project to study ocean water quality. The students collected water samples in the bay three times a day in order to measure the effect of urban runoff and pollution on water quality. Now at the end of their experiment, students will share their findings with peers and the public through presentations, special events and through global nonprofit networks like the Surfrider Foundation.

One of the most important aspects of any scientific study is communicating your results. Congrats to the West Los Angeles/ Malibu Chapter and the students at Santa Monica High School for hosting this community event.