Editor,
Nearly 2.5 years ago, the city agreed to begin a 10-year rehabilitation schedule for our sanitary sewer system, funding $3.5 million per year for 10 years, or $35 million.
That was codified, i.e., agreed to contractually in a federal court as a result of litigation initiated by California River Watch in October 2014. My NGO, Clean Water Now, was the sole Laguna protectionist group to formally join the lawsuit.
Readers can peruse and confirm the details via online historical research. CWN joined because after 15 years on this issue, little rehabilitation or improvement had taken place.
For us it was unfinished business, our previous work around 2000 on the same topic was being ignored, the city not fulfilling its promises to both California and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.
One of the burning issues was the city’s antiquated, increasingly failing sewer system, the specter of larger overflows looming plus one of the major defect symptoms: the buildup of H2S (hydrogen sulfide gases, that obnoxious odor of human waste) in several key neighborhood zones.
It really hit home for myself and my neighbors here in Victoria Beach and just south along Coast Highway near Ruby’s and the Montage, as proven in court. Letters had been written to the city over the course of nearly a decade, demanding redress and relief.
The city acknowledged the more pungent, problematic and objectionably smelly, deficient lift stations during the proceedings.
We along South Coast Highway were assured that we’d be a high priority being chronically affected; the lift station near Nyes Place and the one on the stairs leading down to Victoria Beach as prime candidates.
So it has been with great curiosity that we’ve tracked the subsequent budgets since that compact was mutually agreed upon by all parties.
LB Taxpayers, media columnists, letters and individuals petitioning at city budget hearings seem to be unaware of that compact with the court system, plaintiffs and concerns about sewage spills, which are unsafe, create hazardous beach conditions triggering closures and decimate fragile marine eco-systems.
Viewing the upcoming budget, I can’t find earmarked funds that confirm, that sustain the city’s promises. Nor am I reassured by the lack of specificity regarding prioritization.
Myself, CWN and my neighbors are justifiably wondering are we being punished for being whistleblowers, for exercising our rights to petition and acquire a redress of legitimate grievances?
Obviously, no good deed goes unpunished here.
Roger E. Bütow, Laguna Beach
The author established Clean Water Now, an association registered with the county clerk.
