Mayors to Tour Poche Beach Runoff Treatment System
Stacie N. Galang
Dana Point Times
06/09/2011
San Clemente Mayor Lori Donchak will host her next walk at Poche Beach Saturday, June 11 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., taking a tour of the $3 million disinfection system installed to clean urban runoff. Dana Point Mayor Scott Schoeffel and other San Clemente and Orange County officials will discuss the water treatment system, its effectiveness and future.
"I think this is a good opportunity to get an up-close-and-personal look at the project," Schoeffel said.
Poche Beach ranked No. 5 and Dana Point's Doheny Beach ranked No. 6 on Heal the Bay's Top 10 Beach Bummer List this year.
The ultra-violet filtration system was originally designed to clean the water and return it directly to the ocean, but the Coastal Commission rejected the plan and required the water first discharge into an outlet pond, releasing the water naturally to ocean, said to San Clemente Assistant City Engineer Tom Bonigut.
The results of water monitoring by Orange County officials prompted the Coastal Commission last month to allow the treated water to bypass the pond and feed directly into the ocean, he said.
