Pollution at Oxnard Beach

* Re “Oxnard Beach Called Area’s Most Polluted,” May 25.

In a beautiful little harbor on the California coast there is a sheltered beach where families bring their toddlers to play in the water. “Kiddie Beach” in Channel Islands Harbor is a great day out, and it’s free.

These families can’t afford expensive recreation, and they feel their small children are safe away from the waves crashing on the open seashore. The problem is that they are wrong. Their children are at risk of serious disease from the heavily polluted water at this beach.

The Beacon Foundation has been trying to focus attention on this disaster for almost two years. A presentation and petitions were presented to the Oxnard City Council last year after Earth Day. Repeated requests to the Board of Supervisors and other county agencies have fallen on deaf ears. Despite a preelection pledge by Supervisor John Flynn to find out the cause of this disease-threatening pollution, the promised scientist has still not been hired to investigate.

Meanwhile, every sunny weekend finds the water full of children--our most vulnerable preschoolers. How many children are already infected and how many need to become seriously ill before anyone in government feels any obligation to protect these children?

Whether the pollution is coming from cats, birds or boaters, it is the responsibility of government to solve this problem. You would not be allowed to maintain an “attractive nuisance” that threatened health on your property. Why is the county Harbor District allowed to do so?

JEAN ROUNTREE

Oxnard