TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement with Kinnetic Laboratories, Inc., for bacterial testing at coastal beach sites with a "not-to-exceed" amount of $362,392 and a start date of September 1, 2007; and increase appropriations in the amount of $400,000 in the Tidelands Operating Fund (TF 401) in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Marine (PR) for the agreement and a contingency of approximately 10 percent. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Long Beach nearshore waters along open coastal beaches are on the Clean Water Act (CWA) 303(d) list due to bacteria contamination. The CWA requires states to develop and implement Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for waters on the 303(d) list.
Potential sources of contamination in the open coastal beaches of Long Beach must be characterized as part of the TMDL process. Bacteria and pathogens may come from a number of sources, including the Los Angeles River, local storm drains, boats and associated pump out facilities, birds, and even recreational beach users.
Currently, 15 Long Beach coastal beach sites are monitored for fecal indicator bacteria on a weekly basis. Periodic violations of fecal indicator bacteria water quality standards occur at these locations, even during dry weather conditions, resulting in advisory postings and closures.
Heal the Bay, a nonprofit environmental organization, produces a Summer Beach Report Card every October and an Annual Beach Report Card every May for California's beaches. It has reported that the worst water quality in the state was found in Long Beach. The last annual and summer reports each indicated that only 12 percent of the monitoring locations received grades of A or B, which is a sharp decline in ratings from previous years. A Water Quality Task Force was formed to work on identifying the source(s) of coastal water contamination.
A recommendation of the Water Quality Task Force is to conduct a bacterial water quality study along the City's recreational ocean beaches. The study will address whether the contamination is coming from onshore or offshore sources and whether or not it is human in origin.
The study has been divided into three phases. Phase I is intended to identify areas of concerns requiring more focused investigations. It is also in this phase that it can be determined whether the contamination is coming from a land-based source or not.
Phase II will be dependent upon the findings of Phase I but will likely focus on subsurface water discharges from anthropogenic sources and sand/sediment that may serve as reservoirs and sources of fecal indicator bacteria. Phase III involves investigating whether samples contaminated with fecal indicator bacteria are from human or non-human sources.
Public health concerns associated with beach water contamination have created an urgency to begin this study. Kinnetic's familiarity with the area and the problems the City has been experiencing will allow the company to begin work without delay.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Burton on September 10, 2007, and Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager David Wodynski on September 7, 2007.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on September 18, 2007, in order to ensure that the recommendations of the Water Quality Task Force are carried out prior to the start of the rainy season and in light of the public health concerns associated with beach water contamination.
FISCAL IMPACT
An appropriation increase for the bacterial testing at coastal beach sites of $400,000 is requested in the Tidelands Operating Fund (TF 401) in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PR). (Citywide)
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTINE F. ANDERSEN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
PHIL T. HESTER
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
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APPROVED: |
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ANTHONY W. BATTS |
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CITY MANAGER |