We must stop the pollution of our waters

The news late last month that a brew of toxic chemicals caused the

death of a dolphin in Newport Harbor last year doesn’t come as any

particular shock. We hope, though, that it does come as a warning

about the dangers of runoff and the need for a strict, though

reasonable, control of water quality.

Tests on the 2- to 3-year-old dolphin showed it had DDE,

tributyltin, PCBs and mercury in its body. DDE is a compound that

forms when DDT, a banned pesticide, breaks down. Tributyltin is a

toxic substance in boat paints. PCBs are chemicals that were used as

fire retardants until the federal government banned them in 1976.

That such chemicals were discovered in the dolphin is alarming for

a number of reasons. The combination suggests that there are multiple

sources of pollutants in our waters -- runoff from inland waterways,

local dumping, boats that sit in the harbor -- making it more

difficult to control. The amount also makes it clear that the harbor

and Back Bay waters are not safe for swimming and certainly are not

safe for fishing, a point that reiterates a study last year by the

Orange County Health Care Agency that five local fish species --

California corbina, jacksmelt, yellowfin croaker, spotted sand bass

and California halibut -- could be contaminated.

The message: Our water isn’t safe.

There may be reason for hope, though, if that message is heard by

city, county, state and even federal officials -- and if it is heard

by all of us who can take small but meaningful steps to keep

pollutants out of our water.

The signs are too numerous and too clear that we have to take care

of our water and our local environment.

There is another reason for hope coming this month. The Santa Ana

Regional Water Quality Board is to release a draft plan on how to

implement limits on the amount of pollutants allowed into the harbor,

limits set in 2002 by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Only with a concerted, combined effort can we expect to rid the

harbor and Back Bay water of the combination of toxic chemicals found

there.