Sea Sabres
A drain on cities, residents
Monday, February 10, 2003
Proposed
rules on urban runoff would fine the wasteful and try to change everyday
practices.
By
PAT BRENNAN and SUSAN VARDON
The
Orange County Register
• New
rules for urban runoff hitting home
Hose
off your driveway and get hit with a fine - up to $200 - in Laguna Beach.
Remodel
an Aliso Viejo home and you soon might pay $195 for a water-quality permit.
And
in San Clemente, a new runoff fee approved by residents already is helping pay
for a $900,000
system to kill water-borne
bacteria with ultraviolet light.
South
Orange County communities must submit their plans for controlling contaminated
urban runoff - the excess water flowing into storm drains from homes and
businesses - to regional water regulators Thursday. County supervisors are
expected to approve the plans Tuesday. An early look
at
the plans revealed some novel ideas for controlling runoff, which can flush
bacteria, chemicals, fertilizers and other contaminants into the ocean.
While
some of those ideas, such as fines or remodeling fees, can cost residents
money, most of the new
requirements
focus on changing everyday practices of business and government.
All
11 south Orange County cities that must submit plans to the San Diego Regional
Water Quality
Control
board base their new rules on a template developed by the county.
The
template, designed to meet water- board mandates imposed a year ago, requires
inspections of businesses and construction sites to check for runoff
violations, detailed sampling of runoff water for signs of contamination, and
public-education campaigns to make residents aware of the
new
requirements. Cities in central and northern Orange County, regulated by the
Santa Ana Regional Water Board, must submit similar plans by 
March 1.
The
worst fears of cities - and residents - have not yet materialized. Many
residents worry that they will be barred from washing cars in their driveways.
But the new rules only carry polite suggestions: Use less water that isn't as
soapy, and let it sink into grass if possible instead of running down the curb.
Cities also had said the new mandates, which collectively cost an estimated $70
million but come with no new funding, could force them to cut other vital
services. And while that fear remains for some cities in future years,
especially if the state budget crisis results in the loss of expected local
funding, none of the south Orange County cities said cuts were necessary this
year.
Meanwhile,
potential challenges to the new requirements remain on hold. Several Orange
County groups, including city governments and developer representatives, filed
appeals with the State Water Board after the regional boards approved the new
rules. Those are on hold at the state board until challenges to rules in Los
Angeles and San Diego counties are resolved.
A hearing is set today in a San Diego courtroom on the new rules there.
Additional
Information:
Early this year, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality
Control Board made the historic decision to confront head-on the issue of
polluted urban runoff. As described in detail elsewhere in this issue of the
Southern California Environmental Report Card, and in the 1999 Report Card as
well, water that flows into storm drains ultimately finds its way to Santa
Monica Bay
EPA site: Did you know that because of urban surface
areas like concrete and asphalt, urban areas generate 9 times
more run off?
Back to Safety and Education
Posted February 17, 2003