On Sept. 17, a sewage spill closed part of Bolinas Beach in Bolinas, CA due to growing environmental health and safety concerns. Many believe failing septic systems on the bluffs above the beach caused the sewage to seep down the cliffs leading to the beach. Further testing is underway to confirm the exact source of the contamination.
Chief of Programs at the Marine Mammal Center (MMC), Dominic Travis, was hopeful that the investigation would soon find the source of the spill.

“[The Marin County Public Health Department] knows that there are microbes affiliated with sewage, so they think that it’s from the septics and the houses up on the bluffs [above the beach,] so they’re still working on proving that,” Travis said.
Due to the contamination, authorities have closed 1.5 miles of the beach from Brighton Avenue to Rosewood Road. This area will remain off-limits until the issue is resolved and the waters surrounding the beach are deemed safe. Junior

Coco Ockner and other local surfers miss the opportunity of an easy drive for some calm waves.
“I haven’t gone [to Bolinas] in a while, but I used to go. [I would go] last summer with my cousin and some of my friends, I’d say it’s one of my favorite beaches to surf at. Now, I no longer have that opportunity,” Ockner said. “I think it’s definitely pretty inconvenient for a lot of people.”
As the Marin County Public Health Department works to address the spillage, the MMC is actively monitoring the health of the marine environment in the contaminated area. The MMC will remain alert and prepared to respond if the spill impacts local wildlife.
“E. coli and other bacteria can make people and wildlife sick. [The spill] is not just a human problem; it’s also a concern for marine mammals and other species,” Travis said.
Travis believes the effects of the spill extend far beyond immediate inconvenience. Travis feels that ongoing disregard for marine ecosystems poses significant risks to local wildlife and global sustainability in the future.
“If we keep dumping everything in the ocean and making [the ocean] sick, we’re threatening sustainability on the whole planet,” Travis said.

Travis emphasized the urgency for better management of the aging sewer system to prevent another spill. This spill has highlighted the clash between development and environmental conservation in Marin County, where rapid growth often clashes with nature.
“Marin is a heightened example of the battle between development and environmentalism,” Travis said. “This is going to be a big, long fight [for the environment.]”