I found Mike Beanan’s May 21 opinion piece, “Are We a Gulf or An Ocean?” informative, thought-provoking, and hopeful. I, too, love our beautiful coastline and the marine life that delights and inspires me daily. Mike challenged us to turn our love for the ocean into caring for the ocean by aiming for a Zero Liquids Discharge to Laguna’s coastal waters. Rather than dumping millions of gallons of secondary sewage (via the Aliso Creek Ocean Outfall) into an ocean area that is frequented by many species of marine animals, why not treat the water, upcycle it, and use it in ways that can benefit our whole community? This could include wildfire prevention and suppression as well as irrigation for homes, businesses, and food gardens. There are cities and farms throughout California that are safely using recycled wastewater for such purposes.
My understanding is that a plan for upcycling and storing treated sewage water has been drawn and proposed here in Laguna Beach. However, there doesn’t seem to be enough political will behind implementing it at this time. There should be. We are in one of the worst droughts in our state’s history, and it’s predicted to get worst. Clean water is a sacred, life-sustaining resource. We can’t survive without it. Let’s expand our “water-wise” status here in Laguna and invest in clean, recycled and plentiful water for generations to come—while protecting our precious ocean.
Cheryl Procaccini, Laguna Beach
Cheryl makes a good point. Progress in creating a clean and health ocean comes from community commitment. We cannot continue to mindlessly discharge Laguna’s secondary sewage to the Gulf of Santa Catalina if we are dedicated to protecting whales, dolphins, sea lions and the region’s fishery. Let’s wake up and show we really care about the health of the ocean by demanding the use of modern technology to achieve Zero Liquid Discharges (ZLD). If you care about the ocean, sea life and safe recreation, let your favorite City Council member know you support ZLD.
The western United States has been on a dought trajectory long before the implications of Global Warming changed our water supply forecast (see the documentary Are We Running Dry). Our normal rainfall for Los Angeles is 14-inches, this year we got 5. Take a look at Lake Mead, the water supply for Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico is at 36% of capacity and yet water demand is increasing. Wiser water usage isn’t an ‘IF’ proposition but ‘WHEN’ and will be forced upon us sooner not later. Laguna should plan for the inevitability of water scarcity, stop throwing it away at the Aliso Outfall. Laguna has municipal issues to resolve but nobody can live here without water. Where is the political will to address our highest priority?
The only thing informative and thought-provoking in this letter is his thinking that pearl-clutching and spending MORE tax money administrated by incompetent management governed by morons will work. Hey Rube . . . BAN something, quick!