Analysis of Capistrano Beach bacteria could begin soon

The county Resource Conservation District has begun to search for the cause of high bacteria counts at Capistrano beach, reports Julia Scott in the County Times. The beach is known to be among the ten most polluted beaches in California in dry weather.

Some say it’s the seagulls, which roost and feed on the beaches and surrounding rivers that flow into the harbor. Others blame leaky sewer lines or urban runoff. Still others point a finger at the "live-aboard" vessels anchored in the outer harbor, which have no septic systems and dispose of their waste in onshore tanks.

The county will be in a position to answer those questions for the first time this month, since the State Water Resources Control Board recently approved a possible $845,000 research grant for a project proposed by the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District.

The district must still negotiate a contract, pending approval by its board of directors. But by August or September, environmental officials will be able to begin the three-year process of understanding why Capistrano Beach contains more E. coli and other fecal coliforms than they can even test for — and where they are coming from