Funding to test bacteria in ocean suspended in Seal Beach
County halts winter month testing in 97 beach locations, including Seal Beach and Sunset Beach.
Jaimee Lynn Fletcher
OC Register
10/19/2009
SEAL BEACH–The Orange County Health Care Agency will suspend funding to test ocean water for bacteria in 97 locations in Orange County, including Seal Beach, officials said.
The HCA announced last week it will pull its funding to test ocean water during off-season months for potentially harmful and disease-causing bacteria as a cost-saving measure.
Areas in Sunset Beach and Seal Beach will no longer be tested from Nov. 1 to March 31, said Rick Francis, chief of staff for Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach.
The health agency for the last 40 years has partnered with the Orange County Sanitation District and South Orange County Wastewater Authority to test local waters. State funding picked up the tab for ocean water testing from April 1 to Oct. 31 and the county covered testing costs in the fall and winter months.
The county is not required by law to test in off-season months but the HCA will continue to test for bacteria in summer months, Francis reported.
Seal Beach City Manager Dave Carmany said he is exploring ways the city could foot the bill to continue ocean water testing during the off-season, including possibly using a private lab to test coastal waters.
