Southern California Edison has announced that yet another liquid batch release containing radiological effluent (fifth one since early July!) will start this Thursday, August 6th, 1.1 miles offshore of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) and the popular surf beaches at San Onofre State Park.
The batch will include 21,672 gallons of treated wastewater and radiological effluent diffused through offshore conduits.
This notification was made thanks to the urging of Surfrider Foundation staff at the March 26 2019 California State Lands Commission hearing where Edison committed to providing batch release notifications and enhanced radiological and environmental monitoring. The goal is to keep the local beach-going and surf community informed about what effluent and potential hazards are posed by actions at the local nuclear plant.
Now at least you can know before you go.
Edison explains that the effluent has been treated to a radiological dose level of just 0.000722 mrem, which when considered cumulatively with earlier batch releases this year, is 0.175% of the annual whole body dose limit (6 mrem). While this is well within their legal allowance set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Surfrider believes that it’s important for the community to be able to make informed decisions about their potential exposure.
California State Park beaches, including San Onofre, have reopened during this phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to considering local water quality, it’s important to remember to follow local guidelines regarding COVID-19 and keep your distance from other beachgoers to protect your health and the health of others.
To learn more about these radioactive effluent releases from Edison, visit Edison’s public Liquid Batch Release Notification page and FAQ page
To learn more about Surfrider’s effort to protect the ocean, waves and beaches near San Onofre and get the waste off the beach, click here.