DRAFT 3.90
5.1 Summary
The Water Quality Task Force Recommendation Report is a compilation of the recommendations made by each of the subcommittees that the entire Water Quality Task Force agreed should be submitted to the City Council for consideration. Below is a summary of each project recommendation. (Note: The numbering of the recommendations is consistent with those in the final report)
5.2 Immediate Actions (Subcommittee 9a)
5.2.1. Street sweeping: The NPDES permit requires that all City streets be swept. Some streets in the City have received waivers from the no parking requirements on street sweeping days. This caused some trash and litter from being removed by the street sweeping operation. It is recommended that the waivers be revoked and the waiver awarding process be discontinued.
5.2.2. Best Management Practices: Establish a volunteer program that encourages commercial establishments to implement a list of BMPs as a means of reducing the pollutant contribution.
5.2.3. Hazardous waste drop: Expand hazardous waste drop-off program to include owner of boat slip from the current program of only allow residential boaters and provided an additional drop off location more accessible to boaters.
5.2.4. Parking lot debris catchers: Initiate a pilot program that evaluates the installation of a debris filter in small catch basins located throughout the harbor area.
5.2.5. Harbor Trash Skimmers: Investigate and pilot alternate methods for removing floatable material collect in the harbor water.
5.2.6. Oil spill clean-up: Purchase oil absorber snakes for use by the Harbor Patrol to cleanup oil spills
5.2.7. Laws and Regulations: Investigate existing State and Federal laws that regulation that have been promulgate to improve water quality and create an public outreach program that reaches and thoroughly informs the general public of these regulations
5.2.8. Trash Bins Leaks: Institute a program that insures trash bins that leaks are quickly replaced. The program would include signage with contact information on trash bins.
5.2.9. Trash Truck Leaks: Install signs on truck notifying individual how to report leaking trucks and more strictly enforce regulations.
5.2.10. Watershed Management Program: Establish a Urban Watershed Management Program modeled on the program developed by the City of Santa Monica.
5.2.11. Pet waste: Install "doggie poles" with waste bags in public areas.
5.2.12. Sprinkler standards: Develop a Certification Program to recognize business and residential property owners who install water wise irrigation systems and landscaping.
5.2.13. Marina Aeration: Evaluate a system that would aerate the harbor. The system would be used to reduce the impacts of red tide on fish in the harbor.
5.2.14. Hot Line: Establish a "Water Quality Hot Line" for reporting concerns.
5.2.15. Ongoing Water Quality Task Force: Continue the Water Quality Task Force as a sub-committee of either the Harbor or Public Works Commission.
5.2.16. Source Point Testing: Conduct test to identify sources of poor water quality.
5.2.17. Rain Gutter Routing: Investigate routing all rain gutters on pier buildings through alternate pier storm water drainage system
5.2.18. Continuous Deflection Separation (CDS) Units: Evaluate the possibility of installing additional CDS units on all storm drains that discharge into the waterfront.
5.3 Long Term Actions (Subcommittee 9b)
5.3.1. Develop Clean Waterfront Plan: develop and launch a clean waterfront program with the intentions of improving water quality along the beaches, piers, and harbor, there must be organizational structure in place to effectively implement the various elements of the plan. Excellent examples abound at local, regional, state, and federal levels, some being more comprehensive than others. To achieve the greatest success, Redondo Beach would do well to model a program that has been developed elsewhere, such as the cities of Santa Monica and Newport Beach.
5.3.2. Develop Clean Marina Program: encourage marinas to voluntarily participate in a certification program, such as the Clean Marinas California Program or Blue Flag organization, by supporting the program through the distribution of pertinent literature. Once all marinas are participating and achieve the certification by their program of choice, the City of Redondo Beach will recognize the achievement by including statements on the City’s website and all pertinent City literature.
5.3.3. Develop and implement BMPs for Bait Barges: insure that bait operations properly dispose of unwanted bait outside King Harbor a minimum of ¼ mile from the entrance. The City of Redondo Beach to determine the feasibility and, if feasible, move the bait operations in King Harbor closer to the entrance of the Harbor to take advantage of better water circulation for greater nutrient dispersal that exists through the Harbor entrance.
5.3.4. Develop and implement BMPs for Fuel Dock: insure that fuel docks within King Harbor employ BMPs for handling petroleum products, provide BMP signage describing fueling boats, and provide educational literature to boaters on BMPs for handling petroleum products. Once implemented enforcement of municipal codes should occur. Additionally, the City should encourage use of alternative fuels like biodiesel.
5.3.5. Develop and implement BMPs for Boaters: encourage boaters to utilize clean boating habits by providing access to appropriate literature at boat launching sites and links on the City of Redondo Beach’s website. Signage announcing the existence of programs, literature, and the conceptual need for clean boating practices, such as the Clean Boating Habits, shall be prominently displayed at launch sites. Solicit the aid of volunteer organizations such as the Redondo Beach Boaters Association and yacht clubs.
5.3.6. Develop and implement BMPs for Boat Yards and Maintenance Facilities: adopt BMP’s utilizing technical expertise of other organizations, such as CASQA’s industrial and commercial BMP handbook (www.cabmphandbooks.com ), and insure that BMP’s are followed.
5.3.7. Develop and implement a Bacterial Source Identification Program: undertake a source identification of the bacteria collected in shoreline stations at S16 (south of the pier), adjacent to the breakwater, and inside the King Harbor to determine whether the bacterial contamination is a result of inputs from marine animals or from land-based human and animal inputs. The City could enlist help from academic institutions, by offering the Harbor as a research site for a Master’s or PhD candidate from nearby universities. By partnering with an academia, the City can benefit from increased chances for obtaining research grant money.
5.3.8. Design and construct Harbor circulation improvements: study methods for improving circulation within King Harbor for the long-term. Utilize defunct power plant intake lines as a conduit for moving water through the Harbor.
5.3.9. Develop and implement a Commercial Pier Operations Inspection Program: encourage utilization of BMPs by implementing encouragement and enforcement measures for all restaurants. Implement a BMP encouragement program by developing a recognition program, such as a plaque or environmental grade placard, for businesses that implement BMPs and minimize the use of plastics. Enforcement of BMPs to be conducted and utilize a cooperative effort with other regulatory agencies (Los Angeles County Department of Health Services) that will include unannounced inspections outside the normal 8:00-5:00 Monday-Friday workweek, as well as fines for non-compliance, and diversion of bacterial-laden discharges into open waters until better BMPs can be implemented.
5.3.10. Develop and implement a program to insure that BMPs applicable to the beach and pier area are fully utilized: aggressively participate in all TMDLs issued by the LARWQCB that relate to the waterfront in Redondo Beach. Insure BMPs for litter and plastic waste are implemented and maintained, such as sufficient trash cans with lids and regular pickup with accelerated service for weekends, holidays, and summer. Research ways to encourage litter reduction, such as educational signs, storm drain units, adopt-a-drain program, volunteers, and nets. Businesses should be encouraged to reduce or discontinue use of plastics (e.g. 104 refund for each cloth bag used in stores, tax incentives for business who implement such a program, and/or levy a tax for each plastic carrying bag used by shoppers in Redondo Beach stores). Development and enforcement of BMP’s to be conducted with a cooperative effort of other agencies such as Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.
5.3.11. Pier Fish Cleaning Station, Boaters and Charter Boats: Ensure sink wastes are diverted to sewer system. Educate boaters to fillet fish at least ¼ mile offshore. Require charter boats to complete fish filleting at least ¼ mile offshore.
5.3.12. Watershed Runoff: Permeable surfaces in parking lots and other BMP’s. Buildings to capture at least 1" in 24 hour rainstorms. Find localities where water can be detained during storms.
5.6 Harbor – Volunteer Emergency Response Program (Subcommittee 9e)
5.6.1. The emergency response program is intended to provide continuity for a privately initiative by the boaters in the harbor to respond to the problem created by the fish that were killed during resent red tide events.
5.6.2. The structure of this new program will now include the City of Redondo Beach. The City’s participation will insure that the program will continue into the future and will provide additional resources of staff, equipment and the critically needed liability insurance for the volunteers who participated.
5.6.3. The City’s role will be to initiate a call for the volunteer’s to be mobilized. This call will be to the coordinator of the volunteers who will be a member of one of the private associated in the harbor (most likely the RBBA). The volunteer coordinator will insure that volunteers are mobilized and will make job assessments.
5.6.4. The City will also supply equipment and containers for the disposal of the fish.