Clean Water At The ‘Bu – UPDATE

It was exactly six months ago today that 100+ activists filled the seats of a packed hearing room at the Metropolitan Water District in Downtown Los Angeles; gathering in the middle of the week to demand clean water in Lower Malibu Creek, Malibu Lagoon, and at world-famous Surfrider Beach. They came seeking a solution, unified by a passion to preserve this place and a concern for its chronic water quality problem. Many wore shirts and buttons with the simple but meaningful message: “Clean Water at the Bu.” The result? Following 8 long hours of testimony from these activists as well as city officials, scientists, and others, the Los Angeles Regional Water Board took historic measures to protect water quality in Malibu: amending their master plan (Basin Plan) to prohibit and phase out septic tanks in the city’s Civic Center Area. Commercial properties will comply by 2015, and residential properties by 2019. What comes next? Good question. Making this change a reality is still in process. The Regional Board’s Basin Plan amendment must be reviewed and approved by the State Water Board in Sacramento. Since the November 2009 hearing, the Regional Board has finalized their amendment and has sent their findings, and other supporting materials, to the State Board. State Board Staff have initiated their review with an, as yet, unscheduled date for a presentation to the full State Board. We continue to be in touch with State Board staff and monitor their progress. Surfrider WLAM, along with our partners Heal the Bay, Santa Monica Baykeeper, and the Malibu Surfing Association, will keep working to ensure that we, at last, have Clean Water at the Bu.

Stay involved! Sign the petition that still is still live here – http://action.surfrider.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=319.

LOOK FOR OUR UPCOMING UPDATES!