From the January 23rd, 2008 edition of The Newport News-Times

Cleaning the waters at Nye Beach

by Steve Card, Editor, Newport News-Times

Newport's Nye Beach is a popular playground for visitors and locals alike, a place to enjoy sandy beaches or the majestic splendor of the Pacific Ocean. But a problem with occasional contaminated waters at Nye Beach has given Newport a bit of a black eye and has been the source of considerable frustration for city officials.

All too frequently, the Oregon Department of Human Services has posted health advisories at Nye Beach, the result of its beach monitoring program turning up high levels of bacteria in the ocean. When that happens, people are encouraged to avoid contact with the water, which isn't exactly conducive to a memorable beach experience. The effort by the City of Newport to track down the source, or sources of contamination at Nye Beach have been time consuming, and although it has not yet yielded the answers they seeking, they are moving in the right direction.

It is also encouraging to see the partnership that has been formed between the city and Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of oceans and beaches. Charlie Plybon, the Oregon field coordinator for Surfrider, summed up this partnership when he said the ultimate goal of both the city and Surfrider "is we don't want these advisories in Nye Beach anymore. From a health perspective, it's bad. From a business perspective, it's bad." We would agree, and we are encouraged to see the approach city officials have taken to address this problem head on.

Contrary to comments by some members of the public that the city is doing nothing, or that it is even going so far as to condone the Nye Beach pollution, the News-Times has seen evidence of the hard work being put into the task of tracking down the source of the pollution. And when City Manager Allen O'Neal recently invited a reporter to interview representatives from the city and from Surfrider, he said his desire was for it transparent process, even if the final result cast the city in a somewhat less-than-favorable light. We applaud that approach, and while we may not always agree with the statements or positions of city officials, this administration has made significant attempts to be approachable and responsive to the citizens of Newport.

As far as the problems at Nye Beach, signs indicate that the high bacteria levels are likely the result of contamination from both human and animal sources. The city, through its own water-testing program, is attempting to isolate the "hot spots." The next step will be to conduct dye testing, to see if any household is running its sewage through the storm drain system, rather than the sanitary sewer, or if an old septic system is still in use. Surfrider has agreed to help out with this labor-intensive testing process. But correcting the human side of the equation is only part of the solution.

We agree with Plybon's recommendation that the city should seek a long-term solution for cleaner storm water. There may not be a great deal that can be done in terms of reducing waste generated by wildlife, but there are also a lot of domestic animals in that drainage basin, and pet owners need be responsible for cleaning up after their animals. Whether it is on the beach or in their own backyards, that pet waste contributes to the overall problem. The Newport City Council will soon be considering a dog waste ordinance, and we believe that is a good next step toward a permanent solution. There are also devices such as storm drain filters that deserve consideration in the interest of cleaner storm water.

Public Works Department - (541) 574-3366