Sewer issue raises stink

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

The question of whether to switch from septic tanks to sewers in four beach communities, including Rincon Point, continued to churn controversy yesterday at a LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) protest hearing held at Carpinteria City Hall.
Dozens of residents and non residents of the Rincon Point, Sandyland Cove, Sand Point Road and Padaro Lane communities voiced their opinions about LAFCO’s August decision to annex the four communities into the Carpinteria Sanitary District, which some residents vehemently oppose because it could lead to the controversial switch from septic to sewer.

Those in favor of the annexation and the possible switch say the septic tanks used by about 143 homes contribute to water pollution and need to go.
“The bottom line is septic tanks are out,” said Daniel Emmett, who grew up at Rincon Point and said his mother still lives there. “It’s just common sense, we need to do something now. Enough rhetoric, it’s time for action.”
The battle over the switch has stretched over a nine-year period, which may have a finish line in sight if residents decide to vote in favor of the switch.
Hillary Hauser, executive director of Heal the Ocean, a local nonprofit organization whose goal is to eradicate all sources of ocean pollution and is an outspoken proponent of the switch, said residents of the beach communities are currently voting on whether or not to go forward with the switch.
Craig Murray, general manager of the Carpinteria Sanitary District, said if 51 percent of any one of the communities vote in favor of the switch, it will occur there. He said the ballots will be counted during a public meeting on Oct. 16.
Murray said the LAFCO annexation is necessary to be able to provide sewer to the residents if they vote in favor of the switch.
“We as a district cannot provide sewer to [residents] that aren’t in our boundaries,” Murray said.
Murray’s statement helps bring the relevancy of yesterday’s “protest hearing,” which was attended by about 50 picket sign toting surfers in favor of sewers, into focus.
Bob Braitman, executive officer of LAFCO, said the point of a protest hearing is to determine the percentage of residents opposed to the annexation.
He explained to those who packed the hearing room that if written protests are received by 25 percent or more of the registered voters living within the annexed area, or 25 percent of more of the landowners who own at least 25 percent of the assessed value of land in the area, residents would then vote on whether to annex the communities.
Braitman said the deadline for written protests was yesterday and that the results will be known at the beginning of November.
If the majority of residents living in the annexed areas submitted written protests, the annexation will be terminated all together, which would thwart the proposed septic to sewer switch.
But while many people, including dozens of surfers and Rincon Point regulars are in favor of the switch, others insist a switch to sewer will not necessarily make the water cleaner.
“I sincerely believe the sewer will not improve water quality at Rincon Point,” said Billy Taylor, a Rincon resident who says he surfs their 365 days a year.
Taylor has said a more likely contributor to water pollution at Rincon Point is the 1.4 million gallons of treated waste water the Carpinteria Sanitary District discharges into the ocean each day.
He said the treated waste water should be used for irrigation rather than be deposited offshore.
Murray said Taylor’s claim that the waste water is polluting the ocean is “ridiculous,” and said the bacteria levels from the waste water are nearly imperceptible.
While Murray maintains the treated sewage is not responsible for water pollution, he said he isn’t sure that replacing the septic tanks with sewers will be a fix-all to the local water woes.
“I don’t really have an opinion on that,” Murray said when asked if he thought the switch would make the water cleaner. “I hope that it does. I think it’s going to help solve the problem.”
To illustrate how heated the debate has become, Taylor said he and his family have been threatened by beach goers who are in favor of the switch and a picture of he and his wife Brook, accompanied by the message “blame them if your kids get sick surfing Rincon,” was recently posted on the beach.
“My family and I are being threatened for taking the position of ‘wait a minute, don’t put the cart in front of the horse,’” Taylor said.
Another big aspect of the proposed switch is the cost.
Murray said it is estimated to cost just under $10 million to hook all 143 residents of the four communities to sewer. This translates to $74,000 per residence if homeowners pay the lump sum in cash, or $88,000 if they finance the amount over a 30-year period.
A $2.1 million grant from the State Water Resources Control Board was issued on Sept. 4 and would be put toward the total cost of the switch, if it does occur.
“I just think it would be a tragedy to do all this and then have the same problem,” Taylor said.
J.P. Garcia, who works with local youth at the popular surf spot, hopes residents vote in favor of the switch.
“Rincon is not clean,” Garcia said. “The decision you guys make impacts thousands of people.”