Time to clean up Linda Mar

Much of the pollution at Pacifica State Beach flows from San Pedro Creek, which collects stormwater runoff, animal waste and leaked wastewater. The beach is labeled as a “densely urbanized watershed,” meaning there is lots of pollution from high concentrations of homes and businesses nearby. Stormwater runoff in particular carries lots of bacteria, mainly pet waste, meaning that much of the pollution at the beach is linked to heavy rain seasons. Additionally, aging sewer lines cause wastewater to leak into the creek, an ongoing issue for many communities including Pacifica.

Ongoing efforts to clean up

Local government organizations, including Pacifica’s Public Works Department and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, have been working together for the past several years to reduce pollution at the beach. In 2013, the Water Quality Control Board added Pacifica State Beach to a statewide Total Maximum Daily Load program aiming to reduce water pollution in California. This project included several plans to mitigate sources of pollution, such as installing new pet waste pick-up stations in the city. Pacifica has been collaborating with San Mateo County offices to collect data on bacteria levels and to conduct annual inspections of dog and horse facilities near the creek. These may seem like small steps, but each one helps in the larger fight to keep the beach clean and safe.

While there has been some improvement from these efforts, the beach still exceeds state safety standards. The original TMDL set a rough 15-year timeline to clean up the beach, and the deadline is coming up in 2028. However, Farhad Ghodrati, the lead environmental scientist from the Water Quality Control Board on the Pacifica State Beach TMDL, believes that the beach sampling data may be overstating actual pollution levels. Because of state mandates, beach samples for bacteria testing are taken near San Pedro Creek’s mouth where bacteria levels are the highest. The Water Quality Control Board recommends additional testing stations along the beach to get a more accurate reading of the waters. This will provide better data about where the pollution reaches the beach and if there are health risks for beachgoers. The final decision on funding more monitoring is ultimately up to the county and city.

What more can be done?

1). Get involved with local organizations tackling the issue of water pollution. The Surfrider Foundation San Mateo County Chapter has been fighting alongside several organizations to combat pollution issues throughout the county, including at Pacifica State Beach. The San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition is another nonprofit local to Pacifica tackling water quality and flooding issues at San Pedro Creek.

2). If you live in Pacifica, clean up after your pets! Accountability for pets could greatly help combat pollution at Pacifica State Beach. You could also consider installing green infrastructure at home, such as rain barrels or permeable pavement, to reduce runoff. Here is a resource from the Environmental Protection Agency about green infrastructure, epa.gov/soakuptherain/what-you-can-do-soak-rain. A single structure alone cannot fix the issue, but any reduction of runoff can have a positive impact.

Everyone has a role to play in protecting the Peninsula’s beaches. While the beach is currently polluted, the city, county and Water Quality Control Board have many ongoing initiatives to combat this issue. We can work together on these steps to ensure a clean beach for all of us.

Daniel Laws is a high school student in San Mateo County. This past summer, he worked with the office of state Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, on water pollution issues in San Mateo County.