Shooting the Messenger

moonspinner

Angie Bera's well researched article in the Islander on the poor water quality of Avalon Bay has apparently struck a nerve.



Despite the fact that, over the last several years, the Bay's annual placement in the top three most toxic beaches of California has been a big PR problem that has contributed to declining visitorship overall, Ms. Bera is taking fire from some in the community who are worried that her article may have a negative effect on - you guessed it - visitorship!



At least one noble, concerned citizen has threatened to start a boycott of Ms. Bera's store.



Because she told the truth.



Right! Shoot the messenger. That'll fix it!



The water problem is not going to go away, nor is the media coverage of it, Ms. Bera's article notwithstanding. And who has a more vested interest than someone whose livelihood depends on a prosperous Avalon? Like Ms. Bera?



Simply put: if the powers that be won't act to correct this problem - the beaches can be forcibly closed and the City of Avalon sued by the EPA.



That would be a REAL bummer for a city that is already $2mil in the hole - not to mention what beach closure would do to visitorship.



So for all of you out there lining up to take a pot shot at Ms. Bera, wake up!



If the beaches get closed, there'll be PLENTY of room for you to keep your head in the sand - and guess what will be exposed!

Sailaway

Did ms. Bera happen to mention how many thousands of dollars she's been paid by the city on the same issue?

moonspinner

Sailaway, I have no idea what you are referring to, but unless you back up your vague accusation with facts and evidence, it amounts to nothing more than a cheap shot.



Are you suggesting that the city paid Ms. Bera "many thousands of dollars" as hush money? To fix the contamination problem herself? To write about it in the Islander? What? And on what are you basing your allegation?



The bottom line here is that there IS a water quality problem. It has existed for a long time, long before Ms. Bera arrived - and nothing has been done about it. YOU know it, I know it, the media knows it, green organizations know it, the State of California knows it.



Ms. Bera's article is a heads up - a call to action to avoid an economic and public relations disaster. If you want to focus your time and energy on accusing and vilifying her for speaking the truth instead of taking care of the problem, that's up to you. But when the beaches are closed and the EPA sues the city for lack of compliance - will that have been a worthy expense of your time and effort?

bigfan

Originally posted by: Sailaway



Did ms. Bera happen to mention how many thousands of dollars she's been paid by the city on the same issue?

">http://www.swcinc.net/Resumes/10/Bera_01-21-10.pdf



ANGIE A.BERA

Project Manager

Academic Background



Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of California, San Diego, 1998

Specialized Professional Competence

Ms. Bera has 10 years of extensive practical experience working with communities and utilities to improve

wastewater and stormwater management and reduce pollutants. She has developed an in house water

quality laboratory to analyze fecal indicator bacteria, nutrients, and a variety of chemical parameters. Ms.

Bera managed Santa Monica Baykeeper's Beachkeeper Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program for over

five years. The program educates residents about the impact of urban runoff that directly affects all

waterways of Los Angeles County and enables them to take a hands-on approach to help solve the problem.

She was successful in creating partnerships with other government agencies and muncipalities, working with

volunteers from the community. Ms. Bera gained extensive knowledge in water quality monitoring and

education, was actively involved in Los Angeles region Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) regulations

aimed at pollution reduction, and has experience with large project management.



Independent Consultant/Water Quality, 2006-2009

City of Avalon/Catalina Island, California

Hydrophix/California

Avalon Harbor Water Quality Research and Education, City of Avalon, CA

Researched water quality issues in Avalon Bay through existing projects, compiling Assembly Bill 411

(AB411) data, and literature research. Developed multimedia campaign to educate local residents and

tourists about water quality in Avalon Bay by creating informational and educational materials about the

warning sign system and water quality in Bay. Campaign included rack cards, interpretive signs for

beaches, information for City's website, and creating and populating customized database to house

AB411 data from last eight years.



Avalon Bay Water Quality Improvement Project, City of Avalon, CA

Co-wrote and submitted proposal for City of Avalon for State of California, Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI)

Grant Program Proposition 50 grant. State Water Resources Control Board recommended Avalon Bay

Water Quality Improvement Project for CBI Proposition 50 Recommended Project List. City of Avalon

was awarded $1.4 million from State as result of proposal. Project is combination of long term and short

term mitigation efforts to reduce high fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations found in ankle-depth

waters of Avalon Bay. Over long term, City will eliminate all sources of sewage to shallow groundwater

through improvements of sewer infrastructure, specifically laterals located in residential parcels. In short

term, project will characterize and remediate sewage contamination of shallow groundwater underlying

Avalon and focus on reducing FIB concentrations in ankle-depth waters by improving mixing.



Antimicrobial In-house Testing and Laboratory Development, Hydrophix, Riverside, CA

Worked with Hydrophix and parent company AbTech Industries to create in situ tests for AbTech's Smart

Sponge® Plus. This product has unique molecular structure and is based on innovative polymer

technologies; combining intra-filter antimicrobial technology that ruptures cell membranes - preventing

potentially harmful microorganisms from functioning, developing, or reproducing. Seveloped laboratory

specifically designed to analyze performance of product. Created sampling design for multiple

experiments that varied in flow rate, volume, bacteria and media concentration.



Sounds like to me that Sailaway has a valid point. Ms. Bera was paid money by the City of Avalon.

moonspinner

Bigfan, thank you for this. I had no idea and I am very impressed. This shows that Ms. Bera is more than just a concerned citizen, she is uniquely qualified to assess the problem and recommend a remedy. Clearly, this is her profession, why WOULDN'T she get paid for it?



Ms. Bera is also more aware of the implications of non compliance.



All the more reason to listen to her, instead of dismissing the issue and hurling verbal abuse at her.



As I said, her article is a heads up. Ignore the problem at your own risk.

Sailaway

I'm curious how long you've been here Moonspinner. You seem to have an awful lot of opinions on alot of topics.

moonspinner

Long enough, Sailaway. Long enough. And I haven't said anything here that a whole lot of people aren't thinking.

Voiceofreason

Avalon has some unique problems and you need to understand why we get bad ratings on our beach. First, the samples are taken in water a few inches deep less than a foot from the beach. Due to the leaky old sewer system in Avalon we get very toxic readings. However, if you take samples from ten feet out you get very different readings all more favorable and clean.



No doubt the sewer system needs major work, but that has been noted and is being planned.



Secondly, the largest hotel on the island are the yachts on the moorings. All of these yachts dump their sewage, (black water), into on board holding tanks for proper disposal at a later time, however most all gray water (dish water, sink water, showers, etc.) go directly over board into the bay. This coupled with gas and diesel generators running twelve hours per day and spreading a sheen of gas and diesel on the water, create additional polution concerns.



Getting the sewer system repaired and updated must become our most important priority.

overtowner

Sailaway: Does it really matter how long moonspinner has lived in Avalon? I don't care if she got off the boat yesterday. She's taking an active role in trying to make a positive change in Avalon which is more than we can say about 99% of the people who live on the Island, including long time locals, the few that haven't already bailed out of there. Keep on truckin' moonspinner, but dont' hold your breath that things are going to improve much around there; speaking from about 60 years of watching Avalon shoot itself in the foot over and over again.

Compass Rose

@overtowner right on! moonspinner is completely correct. I've been sailing my family over for many years and I've talked to enough locals to know that Avalon has its head firmly in the sand. If they had faced facts years ago, they wouldn't be in the mess they're in now. And the buck stops at the top - just like anywhere else. I also know how they don't like folks who tell it straight, like moonspinner and Angie Bera.

SteveY

It's been a long time since this thread was started, and Avalon is still getting an "F" on the water quality reports:

">http://publichealth.lacounty.g...lity/beach_grades.cfm



What's the plan?

There is a plan, isn't there?