Onsite systems at 16 beaches on Santa Monica Bay, Calif., had exceeded their useful lives. Most were at risk of overflows and required pumping every two weeks, as sand blowing in through corroded cast-iron lids filled them three-quarters full.
Monthly water samples taken by the Los Angeles County Department of Environmental Health confirmed intermittent high bacteria counts. Concern for the health of swimmers and surfers led the U.S. EPA to issue new total maximum daily loads for bacteria.
The Los Angeles County capital fund enabled the Public Works Water Resources Division to replace the onsite systems with advanced treatment units. Because ammonia
