Long Beach residents quickly rushed to Alamitos Beach to enjoy the newly installed Wibit playground, yet the maintenance quality of the water is questionable.
The inflatable playground was opened in June this year, only four months after Paramount’s grease-caused spill, which released up to 40,000 gallons of wastewater into the Long Beach coast in March.
Since then, there have been no efforts attempting to raise awareness about the issue.
The recent funding towards the infrastructure acknowledges that they are unstable and can only pose a risk as they continue to occur.
Long Beach is known for having polluted beaches, even being ranked the 4th worst beach in California.
The spills in Feb. and March from Long Beach and Compton were both caused by a grease and oil clog-up.
Citizens contribute to the issue as well, many people pour grease down drains and dispose of sanitary products incorrectly.
Los Angeles County and Long Beach Public Works should also be held accountable.
With 56 sewage overflows in the past year only, the resources for sewage maintenance should be prioritized in order to maintain beaches clean and residents safe.
Bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella and even Hepatitis A live in the wastewater that overflows with every rainstorm and every crack in the pipe.
This wastewater then flows down to the coast’s swimming waters where hundreds of residents and visitors spend their time.
The city’s Public Works department has since stated that the beach is monitored and tested consistently to ensure the water is safe for swimming, yet many people that live by and visit the beaches still think the opposite of post-sewage spills.
While the city reassures that the beaches are clean, the trust of residents is long gone as many prefer traveling farther for a cleaner beach.
Marlene Garcia is one such resident who was at Alamitos Beach on August 18.
She confirmed she had heard about the sewage spills on this coast with a nod, her smile polite but mixed with disappointment.
She also stated that in comparison to Alamitos, Manhattan Beach, only an hour away was much cleaner.
Garcia was informed about the weekly quality checks that happen all year around and considered if she felt safe entering the water before she replied with a firm no.
One way to help clean up beaches and streets is simply picking up trash, which can make a big difference.
It is only a matter of time before the next sewage overflow, as rainfall and climate change both pose a risk to the city’s infrastructure and coast.
The people of Long Beach and local areas must educate themselves and others about proper ways to of maintaining sewers.
Time must also be given to write to city leaders to prioritize the upkeep of sewages before deciding to spend $400,000 on the Wibit which is kept in susceptible waters.
