Golf Course Is Fined for Discharges

Pelican Hill Golf Course in Newport Beach was fined $148,000 Friday for illegally discharging recycled water into the ocean off Crystal Cove, state water officials said.

“Environmentally, it probably didn’t have that much effect, but it’s very serious due to the magnitude of the discharges, the fact they weren’t reported and they were repeated,” said Kurt Berchtold, assistant executive officer of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Prompted by a letter from Orange County CoastKeeper, investigators learned that course operator Western Golf Properties had eight unauthorized discharges of nearly 16 million gallons of recycled water between August 1999 and January. Similar discharges occurred in 1996.

Irrigation water overflowed from two ponds into the ocean off Crystal Cove State Park, which is designated an “area of special biological significance” and protected under the 1997 California Ocean Plan.

“Certainly, we’d like to put it behind us, and we regret that it happened,” said Joe Black, president of Western Golf Properties, based in Scottsdale, Ariz.. “By the same token, that’s a lot of money.”

Black said he is not sure whether his company will appeal the fine. He said safety measures have been added since the latest incident: New valves and an alarm system have been installed, the lake level has been lowered and policies outlining proper response have been implemented.

CoastKeeper, an environmental group based in Newport Beach, filed a notice in January of intent to sue the course operator, as well as the Irvine Co., the course’s owner, and the Irvine Ranch Water District, the provider of recycled water that is used to irrigate the course under the federal Clean Water Act.

Berchtold said no fines were levied against the developer or the water district because investigators believe it was the operator who was negligent.

Garry Brown of CoastKeeper said the group has not sued and is in talks with Irvine Co. officials.

As for the fine, he said: “Well, it’s about time. As far as the money, it’s almost a moot point. It doesn’t bring back the damage it caused. . . . [But] there’s been an acknowledgment.”