The ocean begins at our front door.

That was the message of a presentation on water quality at the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce Thursday. It sought to explain that as individuals, we have great impact on the water quality in our lives, and we can get money back for improving it.

We have the water quality we want and deserve, you might say.

“Most trash and litter doesn’t come from someone walking down the street, pitching a Snickers wrapper [on the ground],” said Jenna Voss, an environmental resources specialist with Orange County Public Works’ O.C. Watersheds unit.

Still, “if everyone does a little bit of something, it can make a big difference.”

These include monitoring, and changing our practices on: 

• Trash and litter
• Lawn care and watering
• Leaves and green waste disposal
• Automotive care at home, such as oil changes
• Car washing, also at home, including mobile detailers
• Pet care

“Dogs are a little, tiny, cute poop machine,” Voss said. We love them, she said, and we have a lot of them in the county—and we need to clean up after them.

It’s the law.

One part of the presentation discussed LID: low impact development. This term is current in commercial and residential development, referring to how developers will be asked (or required) to conform to new standards of water conservation and quality.

Several cities are working on these standards and processes, she said.

Voss also gave simple education, since many just don’t know the about this. What is a watershed, what is storm water versus urban runoff, what’s the difference between storm drains and sewers?

• A watershed is the place water in an area naturally collects. In other words, say, a coastal area, which then flows into the ocean. In other words … us.
• Storm water is naturally occurring water, such as rain; urban runoff, on the other hand, includes running sprinklers until the neighbors think Noah lives next door.
• Storm drains and sewers? The latter gets water treatment; the former nearly never does.

Storm drains run straight into the ocean, said Shane Burckle, water conservation coordinator for the city of Newport Beach, who also attended the meeting.

Burckle said a few storm water diversion efforts are now under way in parts of the city—which means some storm water for parts of the year does run through the water treatment system prior to hitting the ocean.

Fortunately, Burckle said, Corona del Mar is in an ASBS: area of special biological significance. It’s a federal designation requiring extra attention to water pollution prevention.

He referred attendees to the Newport Beach municipal code, titles 14.16 and 14.17, governing much of what was discussed at the meeting.

For instance, residents with broken sprinkler heads are required to fix them within 72 hours or be hit with a citation, he said.

Another example is how mobile detailing services—roving car washes—must operate here: the business license needed (it is) and how the city often cites such operators for violating municipal water quality rules (they do).

Burckle also reminded meeting-goers of a March 10 event at the central library. The third annual Water Miser Workshop attracts 180 to 200 people, with food, vendors and educational speakers.

Both Voss and Burckle discussed rebates available to residents and businesses for changing how they use water. More information is at the O.C. Watersheds site, and both agreed this education and prevention are crucial to the health of the city. 

“Rain takes anything with it,” Voss said.