Loreto Polution

This is dangerous and disgusting

On the 25th August the pumping station for sewage at the entrance of Colonia Miramar in Loreto starting spilling RAW sewage out into the street. After 1 week the sewage has reached the Marine Park of Loreto - Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto The spill is a kilometer long, visually seen on the surface of the soil because the arroyo La Candelaria is made up mostly of clay soil. The Director of Water Department, Alejandro Fimbres didn't notify the community of the problem until a reporter from La Paz asked what was going on because complaints were arriving from Loreto. The Director of State Commission for Sanitary Risks (Commission Estatal para la Protection Contra Riesgos Sanitarios) was not notified and Loreto does have its own office. For the interview done to this officials please visit the article by Diario El Independiente http://bit.ly/RawSewageSpill

Also, Civil Protection of Loreto which is suppose aid in this scenarios did NOT notify the community of health risks. This is not a case of "out of sight-out of mind" for the effects will be felt in the air even after the spill has dried up as pathogens travel in the dust (such as bacteria and endotoxins). Please see the following links that explain the problem http://bit.ly/EffectsOfRawSewage and http://bit.ly/AirbornBacteriaFromWasteWaterTreatmentPlants. Also mosquitoes in this water can affect human health long after the spill has dried up. In Santa Rosalia, spilling raw sewage into sea has led to weakening the chocolate clams inside the bay to the point the clam population is no longer growing because they are infested with bacteria (Please see in the commentary science article on study of clams in Santa Rosalia by Center Cicimar in La Paz).

As per the Director of Water Department the sewage pump might be fixed soon but does not guarantees on what date. The raw sewage smells strong, its contaminating the soil, passing by schools, homes, beach, the arroyo La Candelaria, the coastline and the sea (please see attached aerial photo of raw sewage spill reaching the sea from the highway). Why didn't the contingency offices and systems work to avoid this simple problem? In my opinion: Probably because of lack of transparency in the operation of the Water Department and inappropriate usage of funds for water works. Remember, water is public property in Loreto. We all pay collectively 15 million pesos annually for the service but its difficult to see the money in the field when the Water Council (made up of ordinary citizens) is not providing oversight as required by law. The irresponsible management of Water Department and the negligence by the Water Council is destroying the environment of Loreto, and the infrastructure that was set up for Loreto to grow.

Finally, It is unfortunate we didn't hear anything from Loreto Ideal - a local platform for citizen action created by Eco Alianza de Loreto. Please be careful being in the vicinity of the spill, with consuming fish or mollusks from Loreto - the spill has not been stopped. Please share this article in what every way you prefer so we don't have to wait another week to have this spill stopped and covered. Thank you so much for your help.

That's chitty....

Loreto has the best beaches in Baja!

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

If this is the first incidence of raw sewage flowing into the Sea in Loreto, consider yourself lucky. It's a regular occurrence in most of Mexico.

Quote: Originally posted by Lee

Loreto has a sewage problem that's been going on for years. Drive the Malecon South of La Mision and you'll smell it. Surfed The Sloughs in the 60s. Took some sickness to realize the Tiajuana Rivermouth was the problem. Best waves around. Water stunk.

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric

In southern California they put in deep water outfalls starting in the 1950's, one after another from north to south, and the tuna fleet left soon after, from north to south. Deep water outfalls are not the answer, unless you want the ocean off Loreto to look like the water in Santa Monica Bay, e.g. full of treated sewage.

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric   In southern California they put in deep water outfalls starting in the 1950's, one after another from north to south, and the tuna fleet left soon after, from north to south. Deep water outfalls are not the answer, unless you want the ocean off Loreto to look like the water in Santa Monica Bay, e.g. full of treated sewage. The southern Ca. tuna fleets demise had nothing to do with deep water outfalls. The fleet was thriving into the late 70s early80s. Thank environmental regulations ("dolpin safe") for the fleet leaving to other locations in the Pacific.

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by chippy   Quote: Originally posted by bajaric   In southern California they put in deep water outfalls starting in the 1950's, one after another from north to south, and the tuna fleet left soon after, from north to south. Deep water outfalls are not the answer, unless you want the ocean off Loreto to look like the water in Santa Monica Bay, e.g. full of treated sewage. The southern Ca. tuna fleets demise had nothing to do with deep water outfalls. The fleet was thriving into the late 70s early80s. Thank environmental regulations ("dolpin safe") for the fleet leaving to other locations in the Pacific. I think they also left to change to cheaper foreign labor...

Quote: Originally posted by Ace

I don't know what post is worst, with the usual Baja haters, like Hook above or Man-with-Gas, whacking Mexico, like the US has clean beaches or problems with raw sewage when it rains. But Man-with-Gas, is a big time Trumpster, who turns a blind-eye to Trump, turning back the clock to most environmental laws in the US. People who support Trump, are despicable people period! So clean up your own chit before you bag on Mexico. Quote: Originally posted by Man_With_Gas   Come and pay a visit to El Tule where all the new hotels are going up. Le Blanc, Hotel Grand Velas etc etc. They're pumping their raw sewerage straight into the ocean approx. 20 feet from the shore line. Things have become so much more expensive in the area and yet they do this. The bubble for foreigner $ should cease because of this disgusting practice. They appear to never learn and continue to try and kill their golden goose. Absolutely disgraceful on every level. [Edited on 9-2-2019 by Man_With_Gas] [Edited on 9-2-2019 by Man_With_Gas]

No more chocolate clams for me!! I always wondered how they got that color! Filter feeders