Water Board Meeting on Proposed Septic Ban Is Planning Benchmark

• RWQCB Staff Removes ‘Zero Waste’ Discharge Exemption

BY BILL KOENEKER

The showdown between Malibu city officials and environmentalists before the Regional Water Quality Control Board on Nov. 5, when the water board may decide the fate of the Civic Center and surrounding residential communities in the form of a septic system prohibition, is fast approaching.
One of the most important changes made to the latest draft document, according to an Oct. 27 update, is that the proposed exemption for ‘zero waste’ discharges has been removed.
The RWQCB staff released a memo this week on the response to the documents issued by the state regulatory agency. “Staff has posted 46 comment letters received on or before Oct. 8,” states the memo.
However, the memo reveals there are over 600 pages of comments. “They have been divided into five categories for downloading: GOV, NGOs, WDR Dischargers, Other Dischargers, Other,” the memo states.
“Staff has revised the technical staff report in response to comments from the public [and] from peer reviews. None of the revisions change the results or conclusions in the technical staff report,” an update states.
The update indicates the staff’s response to the comments will be posted before the board meeting sometime next week.
The memo also acknowledges there have been more revisions to the draft resolution and technical staff reports, including five tech memos.
On Nov. 5, the regional board will consider a proposal to prohibit onsite wastewater disposal systems in the Malibu Civic Center area. The proposed prohibition will not allow new septic systems or septic discharge immediately upon its adoption and prohibits further discharge from existing dischargers in five years. The prohibition applies to all dischargers in the Civic Center area, including commercial and industrial facilities, public facilities and residences.
The RWQCB conducted two workshops in September and October. The public can once again give oral testimony at the hearing on Nov. 5.
Malibu city officials are encouraging residents to attend the meeting by offering free bus service. There are about 15 riders signed up and more are expected, according to Assistant City Manager and Administrative Services Director Reva Feldman, who said the city would accommodate all riders. The bus leaves City Hall at 7:30 a.m.
The hearing starts at 9 a.m. There are two uncontested agenda items before the Malibu agenda item.
The actual agenda item reads: “Consideration of an amendment to the Bain Plan to prohibit discharge from onsite wastewater disposal systems in the Malibu Civic Center area (including Malibu Valley and surrounding hillsides, Winter Canyon and surrounding hillsides and the coastal strips along the Pacific Coast Highway between and including Surfrider Beach and Amarillo Beach.”
Staff will be posting future updates and revisions on the RWQCB Malibu Prohibition web page at this link:www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/press room/announcements/Public-Hearing-Malibu/index.shtml.