What are the effects of storm water pollution?
Storm water pollution in Los Angeles County has significant impacts on the region’s water quality, while also posing risks to the health and safety of residents, degrading natural resources, threatening the area’s tourist driven economy and lowering property values in local neighborhoods. The impacts of storm water pollution include: • Public Health Risks Storm water pollution increases serious health risks to people swimming or fishing in the Santa Monica or San Pedro Bay, especially within 400 yards of storm drain outlets. • A study conducted by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project found that storm water pollution in the ocean leads to increased risk of viral infections, earaches, sinus problems, fever, flu and skin rashes and viral diseases such as hepatitis for those swimming in the ocean close to storm drain outfalls, especially following a rainstorm when litter and contaminants are flushed into the storm drain system. The Governor’s Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI), funded by p
