San Diego Coastkeeper’s first annual report on Mission Bay’s water quality shows persistently high levels of bacteria, copper, and phosphorus in both dry and wet weather, often at levels exceeding safe state water quality standards for public recreation and a healthy aquatic ecosystem.

Environmental nonprofit San Diego Coastkeeper advocates for clean water and to protect and restore swimmable, drinkable, fishable waters throughout San Diego County. The environmental watchdog’s initial 2024 Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Report summarizes a year of monthly water monitoring data at locations around Mission Bay. It cites aging stormwater and leaking wastewater infrastructure as likely sources of bacterial contamination while noting that multiple sources could cause high levels of copper and phosphorus.

High levels of pollutants, such as fecal bacteria, can lead to chronic health risks for people recreating in and on the water, as well as marine species that depend on a clean bay.

Coastkeeper’s findings highlight the urgent need for increased investment in stormwater infrastructure and increased attention to tracking and addressing the sources of these pollutants so that water quality will improve in the future.

Phillip Musegaas, Coastkeeper’s executive director, talked about the ramifications of 2024’s water quality monitoring report. Of the need for the report, Musegaas said, “We started it because we thought it would be valuable to the public to gather data on what the water quality is like in Mission Bay and to support our policy of working on clean water.

“Even before we started sampling, we had a lot of data showing the water quality was not great. So our goal was to develop data that would help inform the public on where and when they could recreate in the bay, show them pollution hot spots they should avoid.”

Pointing out “the public has a right to clean water,” Musegaas noted there were other disturbing findings in Coastkeeper’s initial water-quality report. “Unfortunately, there are high bacteria levels in many locations in the bay even during dry weather, which is bad because stormwater pollution is often the cause of high bacteria levels,” he said. “So the fact it’s happening in dry weather suggests there may be other sources, like leaking sewer pipes, that are not working properly. We don’t know yet.”

Data from the report supports the need to effectively address sources of pollutants, including stormwater runoff, commercial and industrial discharges, and leaking stormwater and wastewater systems that surround Mission Bay.

“Mission Bay is one of San Diego’s most popular marine recreation attractions, yet it is frequently plagued with unsafe levels of bacteria and other pollutants that are a risk to public health and adversely affect fish and other marine life in the bay,” said Musegaas. “Our report highlights the critical need for increased investment to address leaking sewer and stormwater pipes, and increased focus on finding and stopping the sources of this pollution to protect public health and our precious marine environment.”

Summarizing the report’s results, Musegaas said: “Data tell us there’s a problem beyond just storm runoff. We are going to gather data to do a report every year. The data from this report supports Coastkeeper’s advocacy for more investment in stormwater and sewer infrastructure by the City.

“We know the City has a $1.6 billion stormwater deficit, and they’re in serious budget straits. But if we’re going to continue to have people recreating in Mission Bay and enjoying that environment, we need to find a way to invest in our infrastructure to reduce the pollution.”

San Diego Coastkeeper will present its water-quality report to the Mission Bay Park Committee on April 1.

The 2024 water quality monitoring report findings:

● 50% of sampling locations reported fecal bacteria levels exceeding state standards more than 50% of the time, both in dry and wet weather.

● 90% of their locations reported copper levels well above state standards more than 50% of the time.

● 60% of sampling locations reported high levels of phosphorus in more than 50% of samples.

● Mission Point had the best rate of success in passing for fecal indicator bacteria and phosphorus.

● Tecolote Creek had the highest average rate of failing for fecal indicator bacteria and phosphorus.

COASTKEEPER SUES SEAWORLD

Following their November 2024 notice of intent to sue (NOI), San Diego Coastkeeper and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF), represented by Coast Law Group, have filed a citizen suit enforcement case against SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. and SeaWorld LLC for Clean Water Act violations. The complaint, filed on March 6, contends SeaWorld has repeatedly failed to comply with its Clean Water Act fireworks permit and waste discharge permit, resulting in pollutant discharge violations. The lawsuit aims to put an end to these ongoing violations and ensure SeaWorld adopts practices that protect the health of Mission Bay’s vital ecosystem and the public.

SeaWorld hosts up to 150 fireworks shows annually, with summer events on a near nightly basis. Coastkeeper contends that those shows result in the discharge of thousands of pounds of chemical-laden debris directly into Mission Bay, which includes plastic, foil, paper cardboard, sharp wires, shattered caps and ignitors, defective mortars, and shells.

In addition to requiring SeaWorld to comply with fireworks discharge permits, the lawsuit seeks to require the park to comply with its Clean Water Act waste discharge permit. SeaWorld is permitted to discharge treated wastewater from aquarium tanks into Mission Bay. However, according to the lawsuit, water quality testing shows ongoing exceedances and insufficient reporting of discharges for pollutants such as total coliform, total suspended solids (TSS), copper, and enterococci.