Septic issues frustrating for La Tuna Canyon residents

Homeowners in rustic La Tuna Canyon are raising a stink about proposed septic tank charges.

The Sun Valley canyon is among the last bucolic hideaways across Los Angeles not hooked up to the city sewer system - and whose septic tanks have been deemed "high risk" to local waterways or drinking water wells.

Either the homeowners pay hundreds of dollars to inspect or fix their tanks, according to a proposed city ordinance mandated by the state, or they could pay tens of thousands to link up to the sewer.

"It's outrageous. The inspection, I can't afford it. They're going to force us all to move," said Belta Kalajian, 82, of Elben Avenue, where she's lived since 1959. "I have a good septic tank.

"It's the people near the beach that are overflowing."

The city's proposed Onsite Wastewater Treatment Ordinance, to be passed by June 30, has been drawing standing-room crowds at community hearings from homeowners concerned about charges.

And blame.

Of the nearly 12,000 septic tank properties from Sun Valley to tonier Mandeville Canyon, 673 - or about 6 percent - have been ruled high risk.

Half of those tanks lie within 600 feet of waterways polluted according to the federal Clean Water Act, or within 900 feet of active water wells, mostly in the San Fernando Valley.

The other half lie near Mandeville Canyon Creek, east of Pacific Palisades, a tributary into polluted Santa Monica Beach.

Under the

proposed ordinance, owners of high-risk residential septic systems must pay $350 every three years for an operating permit, plus independent inspection costs that can run $250 or more.

For the seven high-risk properties with advanced septic systems, the operating permit could cost $800 a year.

If any high-risk septic tanks within 200 feet of a sewer line undergo catastrophic failure, homeowners must hook up to the sewer. The expected cost: from $20,000 to $100,000.

Enforcement is scheduled to begin in July 2012.

"The ultimate goal of the ordinance is to get people to maintain their systems," said Doug Walters, assistant divisional manager for Wastewater and Engineering Services for the Bureau of Sanitation, which has worked for a year to draft the ordinance, and hosted dozens of community meetings.

"As long as they're keeping their system running, whether 1 year old or 100 years old, we're fine."

The tightening of septic regulations dates back decades to the federal Clean Water Act. To comply with the act, a state law - Assembly Bill 885 - was passed 11 years ago, aiming to rid high fecal bacteria from water resources.

Enter the state Water Resources Control Board, which drew up regulations for septic systems throughout the state.

Six years ago, Los Angeles entered into an agreement with the state to draw up an ordinance and oversee its septic tank properties, as defined by the state.

What especially rankles many La Tuna Canyon homeowners is that they were ever lumped among the potential high- risk septic tank polluters.

During tests last year in the Western Burbank Channel in Burbank, state officials found bacteria levels in excess of federal standards.

But the homeowners in La Tuna Canyon living along the channel miles upstream were ruled potential culprits - even though runoff from streets and water tributaries had led into the wash above the polluted test area.

"I don't have a problem," said Bob Shelly, 69, a contractor who lives in a meandering horse property on La Tuna Canyon Road, with an immaculate front lawn covering his newly cleaned septic tank. The wash lies directly behind his house, in a concrete gully, 20 feet from his back fence. "The septic guys said I have a great system. We've never had any spillage, never.

"I just keep saying, `Test it. Test it at the bottom of La Tuna Canyon,"' he said. "But if you test it in Burbank, with so many variables, it's ridiculous."

Frank Buchanan, who has property up the canyon, is also peeved. He, too, has said his septic tanks are safe.

He said the city spills millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Los Angeles River and the Pacific Ocean each year, while concerning itself with a potential few hundred thousand gallons of septic tank sludge - with little chance of pollution.

Buchanan accused the city of trying to collect thousands in fees, or create thousands of sewer customers.

He also accused the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board of falsely listing homeowners for high-risk septic tanks while not conducting adequate tests. Any waterway could be deemed polluted, and any septic tank dubbed high risk.

"I can see the writing on the wall: with this ordinance in place, I'm going to have to go to an advanced septic system and pay $60,000 minimum, plus thousands in annual maintenance and inspection costs," said Buchanan, 54, of Burbank, who sells and manages commercial ponds and aquariums.

"I have zero money in the bank. I am more than struggling. ... I'm a mess. If this goes through, I'm done."

Officials at the both the state and the Los Angeles water quality boards declined to answer questions Friday about septic water pollution or testing.

The next tests of the Burbank wash are scheduled sometime next year, after which La Tuna Canyon could potentially be delisted, city officials said.

Councilman Paul Krekorian, whose district includes the most septic tanks, at 4,062, said the city must make every effort to maintain clean groundwater while assuring public input and transparency.

At the same time, he said struggling homeowners with properly working septic tanks would not be required to pay hundreds, if not thousands, on permits and cleaning fees.

"That is precisely why I have been working closely with the Bureau of Sanitation and residents of my district to craft an ordinance that not only protects our groundwater supply but also removes any undue financial burdens on residents," Krekorian said, in a statement. "I believe we are very close to reaching this ideal."

After spending more than $1 billion to fix its sewer system, Los Angeles has made large strides in its Clean Water Program, reducing sewage spills from 800 in 2001 to 139 last year, a drop of 80 percent, Walters said.

In addition to cleaning 125,000 sewer pipes - or 5,900 miles - each year, it has cut grease-caused sewage spills by 91 percent, and root-caused spills by 65 percent.

At the same time, sewer odor complaints dropped 37 percent, from 213 in fiscal year 2003/04 to 134 last year.

Walters said the city sanitation department, under the threat of state fines and penalties, has worked hard to draft an ordinance to include the fewest homeowners, at the least cost, while keeping local waters clean.

If a homeowner should fail a septic tank inspection, he said the city will work with the owner to correct it.

And while a state bill - AB964 - has been introduced that would provide low- cost loans for upgrades to septic tank owners, the city is working on affordable solutions.

"We are working very hard to set up payment programs for people in need," Walters said. "If you can't get your system to work, we've pledged to work with folks, including those who have a paper towel in their system.

"Ultimately, if they can't and they're high risk, they have to hook up."

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