COUNCILMAN URGES ACTION PLAN FOR LOCAL GROUNDWATER POLLUTION.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Citing a study pointing out the extent of San Fernando Valley groundwater pollution, a city official on Wednesday called for officials to develop a plan to clean up the water supply.

``The city of Los Angeles must take steps to address any possible health risks and assure clean water for the residents of the San Fernando Valley,'' said Councilman Mike Feuer.

Feuer, chairman of the council's Budget and Finance Committee, called for the city to prepare a report within two months on what needs to be done to clean up groundwater in the Valley and on ways to find more than $2 billion that will be needed for the work.

The councilman's proposal was in response to the 1999 Southern California Environmental Report Card released last week by the UCLA Institute of Environment.

The study indicated that a 17-mile zone in a highly industrialized area of the Valley contained roughly 200 trillion gallons of contaminated groundwater.

While the report was critical of the current state of the water supply, it noted there have been some improvements in recent years although more needs to be done.

Feuer asked that officials from the departments of Water and Power, and Environmental Affairs, the Chief Legislative Analyst's Office and the City Administrative Office provide the analysis and action plan.