water quality at s.o.b.

Rant - water quality at s.o.b.

In the water tonight at a spot I don't usually frequent near a certain poop factory. As a transplant to the area last year (the nerve) I was wondering about the H20 down there. I'm not OCD or anything, and I've surfed in legit bad water conditions (rainy southern CA), but just curious what the consensus is. As clear and nice today's weather was, the water seemed a little funky. Maybe it's from the sand relocation, but I got some in the mouth and it was a little off from that normal salt water taste.Then again, maybe it was just me...

Oh, it was almost O.K. today. Almost, but not really.

Rant by b_handley

8 comments

tacoma8
38 weeks ago

The outfall pipe ends about 1 mile offshore. The water coming out of it is safe when the treatment system is working as designed. During storms though all bets are off.

sharkturd
38 weeks ago

Depends what you mean by "funky". Was it paper, trash, and whatnot, or just broken up seaweed, organic matter, and general agitated murkiness? Upwelling or local winds several miles offshore can cause the latter. The water at that spot is as good or better than many places in Cali. It's at its worst, of course, after a good, heavy rain. The outfall pipe from the poop plant terminates a couple of miles out, so the completely treated effluence is not a really a problem...except for Pacifica. (just kidding)

fatnewt
38 weeks ago

its tertiary treatment plant, so it's not an issue normally. it's the combined stormwater/sewage overflow events that you need to worry about. if the "pillboxes" are spewing effluent, it's an issue.

tehdely
38 weeks ago

Short of 7 or 8 times a year (and you'll know when it's one of those times), we have some of the cleanest water in the state. Everything (including runoff) is treated in the same system. You can surf when it rains!

SF_Kneelo
38 weeks ago

Here's a water quality site:

http://216.119.104.145/cfapps/lims/beachmain1.cfm

Tenderloin tom
38 weeks ago

buy a TDS meter if you dont already have one. just saw a ad on SR today ! http://www.myronl.com

php Learn how to perform titrations quickly and easily using the 9PTK Alkalinity, Hardness and LSI functions here!

drei
38 weeks ago

When I've surfed in sewage at OB (several times) it's definitely not localized around the treatment plant, since I usually surf the n0rthern stretches. There are also some very large ships coming in/out of the Gate all day, and you gotta wonder about the discharge from those...

Rev.MCC
38 weeks ago

I don't worry much about water quality and I am used to the murk...
But when there's rain I'm big on the neti flush post surf...

Basically this is NorCal water... kinda murky for which I am actually kind of thankful...
I'd rather not know the Landlord is just outside the line up thanks...