Wastewater treatment would cost homeowners $1,000 a month, Malibu says

[Liberal_in_LA]

Wastewater treatment would cost homeowners $1,000 a month, Malibu says
October 12, 2009 | 2:18 pm
With a proposed ban on septic systems in central Malibu looming, the city today said residential property owners would be on the hook for $1,000 a month to pay for a centralized wastewater treatment system. Commercial property owners could be forced to pay significantly more, the city said.

Malibu said such a system would cost $52 million. That is more than three times the $16.7-million projection that the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has mentioned at recent community workshops.

Upset at what it calls Malibu's slow pace of correcting water pollution issues in Malibu Creek, Malibu Lagoon and Surfrider Beach, the water board has proposed a prohibition on septic systems in the city's core. The agency says pollutants leaching from aging and overtaxed septic systems are a big cause of the pollution. It plans to consider the issue Nov. 5.

The city has been moving forward with a treatment plan, but its consultants say the operation and maintenance would cost $420,000 a month. Assuming the water board's prohibition zone would include 400 to 500 land parcels, the costs would result in payments of about $1,000 per month per parcel, the city said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/10/wastewater-treatment-would-cost-homeowners-1000-a-month-malibu-says.html

[valerief]

1. Isn't that a mere pittance for Malibu residents? nt

[Richard D]

3. Not everyone who lives in Malibu are rich

There's a fair amount of "normal" people who live there, and have lived there for many years. This will be devastating for them.

[valerief]

4. Aren't most rich? nt

[Richard D]

6. Yes

but not all

[jeffbr]

2. This is gonna screw up people's valet-parking budget

[timo]

5. HA!!!!

as california implodes on itself

[pipoman]

7. How many cities in the US are still using septic systems..in town?

Damn, welcome to the 21st century. Why does the city need a 52 million dollar system? Wouldn't a modern leaching pond set up work, for way less money?