Lindsey Horvath Cares About Health (and Poop Spray?)

A company working for L.A. County sprayed water from the “Polio Pond” onto the beach path were people were walking.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath cares about health. Today the supervisor released a statement that a motion by her, co-authored by Supervisor Hilda Solis, will protect community health and maximize local resources for vaccine education.

Also today a resident sent a letter inquiring about health – the “poop spray” at the bike path/bridge at the base of Santa Monica Canyon.

“Each morning, we walk through the Roosevelt Tunnel and onto the beach path,” a resident wrote Horvath. “Today, as we returned, we noticed a hose blowing out dirty muddy dark muck into the air.  It was connected by motor into the pond that us locals fondly call Polio Pond. It has this name as it represents all the toxic run-off bacterial infested water.  This pond is also a favorite for local homeless people to hang out and pee and poop.”

Another Canyon resident confirmed that lifeguards chase out children and adults who try to play in the dank water because of health concerns.

The resident wrote “As we walked past ‘Your operation’ to spread this toxicity into the sand – and yes, that is exactly what you are doing – we were all smitten with spray from Polio Pond. The stench was horrific. We had to bathe our dogs, and all four adults had to shower. We all stank.

“Would you not think that people coming down the bike and walking path would get sprayed in the head, as wind blew onshore?” he asked. “Could no one see the drops on cement?   Why would you not have someone standing along the path to manage our passing and avoid the spray?”

The resident let Hovarth know that he was an immunocompromised 69-year-old because of a heart transplant and the spray in his face put him at excessive risk.

He asked her to identify the content of the water. “I am certain you must have chemically tested this bacterial wonder before initiating today’s project.”

The initial bridge/bike pathway was dedicated in May 2023 and cost $6 million. It collapsed in 2024 and is now undergoing a six-month reconstruction for about $4.2 million. Repairs started on August 4.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath

Horvath explained in an August 1 press release that “While the bridge crossing Santa Monica Canyon Channel remains structurally sound, a small section of the bike trail just north of the outlet experienced a critical washout in February 2024.

“The damage was caused by a combination of King Tides and intense February storms, which led to a federally declared disaster,” Horvath said. “As a result, the repair project is eligible for FEMA funding. It is important to note that there were no issues with the pedestrian bridge design or construction—only the adjacent bike pathway was impacted.”

One Santa Monica Canyon resident quipped that the tunnel under PCH had been built 85 years ago by WPA (Works Progress Administration under Roosevelt’s New Deal) and is still operational, but now the county could not design something that would last a year. “Moreover, the county is not penalizing the firm—but rehiring them to boot.”