Sewage Odor Raises Stink in Ritzy Malibu

ByABC News
October 6, 2006, 4:33 PM

Oct. 6, 2006 — -- The gorgeous coast of Malibu is home to some of Hollywood's most celebrated celebrities, including Pierce Brosnan, Pamela Anderson, Sting and Barbra Streisand.

But while the waters off the Southern California coast please the eye, they are anything but pleasing to the nose.

The pervasive stink of sewage has dominated the small town of Malibu for years. The smell suggests bacterial contamination, and county, local and state health and government officials have responded.

"The high bacterial counts we've consistently found in our coastal waters are a potential threat to public health," said Los Angeles councilman Zev Yaroslavsky in a recent press release.

"I've pushed our county departments to increase the testing and improve our enforcement efforts so that we can improve the water quality in the Santa Monica Bay and along our beaches for the benefit of residents and visitors alike," Yaroslavsky continued.

The beaches that surround Los Angeles, primarily around the Santa Monica Bay, are some of the most-polluted in the state. Surfrider's Beach in Malibu is the fourth most polluted beach in California, according to an annual beach report card issued by Heal the Bay, an environmental advocacy group.

"Water samples are analyzed for bacteria that indicate pollution from numerous sources, including fecal waste," according to Heal the Bay. "The better the grade a beach receives, the lower the risk of illness to ocean users."

Sewage pollution is not new to the state. In 1985, a dozen miles of California coastline were closed for more than 60 days because of contamination.

While the Malibu coastline is more than 27 miles long, it contains at least four beaches that made Heal the Bay's beach report card's top 10 polluted beaches. They include Escondido State Beach, and Puerco Beach and nearby Topanga State and Castle Rock Beaches.

To fetter out the recent water pollution culprit, health officials have planned DNA tests to determine if the waste comes from human or animal sources.