Los Angeles Beaches Contaminated by Polluted Stormwater, Report Finds

Beaches in Los Angeles are contaminated by stormwater pollution that could make people sick and damage ecosystems, and the local government usually fails to discuss the risks, according to a new report.

According to researchers with Heal the Bay, a not-for-profit environmental organization, the county of Los Angeles made limited improvements toward reducing pollution from stormwater, which is the single most significant source of pollutants in the ocean, local rivers, and lakes.

The report, according to the Los Angeles Times, was released this week following days of much-needed rain in Southern California. The runoff can cause serious public and environmental health problems while winter rains in LA are critical to reducing wildfire risks and supporting the state's water supply.

Heal the Bay explained that storm drainage in Los Angeles is separated from its sewer system, implying that stormwater flows over streets through storm drains and into bodies of water, while sewerage is cleaned before it is discharged.

After a significant rain event in LA county, water quality has significantly worsened for 72 hours. The recent weather hurricanes, for example, carried away debris to LA beaches. The situation prompted county officials to issue a health warning against swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters around discharging storm drains, rivers, and creeks.

Heal the Bay studied watershed management data from 2012 to 2018. The ground discovered that local municipalities were only about nine percent of the way near completing their stormwater pollution reduction goals.

Los Angeles, at the current rate, won't meet its collective reduction objectives until 2082, the group said. It added that many local municipalities would miss their own established deadlines, and some cities and counties will be in violation of federal clean water regulations. Environmental contamination and health hazards, meanwhile, will continue to escalate. 

Annelisa Moe, a Heal the Bay water quality scientist and lead author of the stormwater report, said the beaches in Los Angeles are a destination for the locals and tourists worldwide. "While we're allowing [polluted] water to flow to these beaches, we're [harming] every [tourist]," Moe added.

Moe urged the swimmers to be "very careful" when and where they enter the water. "We could have a huge hurricane, and then [it could be a beautiful bright day] at 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celcius). You're at risk if you don't wait to swim," she added.

Swimmers could get different illnesses, including stomach flus and rashes, once exposed to the polluted sea. Tourists may not be aware of the risks of swimming soon after heavy rains.

The group said there are 208 bodies of water in Los Angeles "damaged by multiple pollutants" - including bacteria, pesticides, nutrients, and trash.

Heal the Bay called for more efficient regulatory guidelines and increased transparency in reporting data. A new county clean water program in Los Angeles expects to increase funding for stormwater projects by approximately US$280 million a year starting in spring 2020, the group said, which could speed up progress.

"We [demand] to step up clean-up [works] if we [want] to see water quality improvements in our [lives]," Moe wrote. "We [must not] wait 60 years for clean water," she added.