MTA finds itself in hot water for discharge into Los Angeles River.

The state water quality agency has cited the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for dumping water contaminated with chemicals into the Los Angeles River near Universal City.

And now the California Regional Water Quality Control Board's Los Angeles Executive Office has an even bigger problem with the MTA - water contaminated with arsenic coming out of operational subway tunnels and being dumped into the river.

Gary Schultz, an engineer for the water quality office, said the contamination problems do not currently pose a health risk to the Los Angeles area. No municipalities currently use the Los Angeles River as a source of drinking water.

The water quality agency protects the river from contamination because portions of the river are unlined, so the river can "recharge" groundwater supplies, which are tapped by municipal water companies, and because fish and wildlife rely on water front the river.

But Schultz said the state agency is concerned that there may be a "systemwide" problem in the MTA's subway tunnels with arsenic leaking into water from wooden bracing materials, which are treated with arsenic to preserve them from deterioration, and the contaminated water then being dumped by the MTA without being cleaned.

Plan due soon

MTA acting Chief Executive Joe Drew has promised to submit a time schedule on March 11 regarding a plan to bring all discharges from the subway system into full compliance with state regulations.

Schultz said after the water quality agency sees the plan, "we may have to look at special monitoring" in the future, if arsenic-treated wooden supports, which are called "lagging," are in place throughout the construction project.

Michael Gonzalez, MTA deputy executive officer for construction affairs, said the wooden lagging is indeed permanently in place throughout existing tunnels, behind tunnel linings and therefore not visible to the eye.

There are cracks in the tunnels, however, and water that seeps into the tunnels could be picking up arsenic from the lagging and then mixing with other water in the tunnel that is pumped out and discharged by the MTA, Gonzalez said.

He added that the MTA staff is investigating whether alternative materials to wood may be used as supports in future tunnel construction. Meanwhile, all the MTA can do is to fill cracks with grout and treat contaminated water, he said.

Grouting at fault?

It may have been chemical grouting - which is being injected into sod along the North Hollywood to Universal City Metro Rail route - that contaminated the water that was dumped into the river near Universal City by contractor Traylor Bros., Schultz said.

Schultz said his office first learned about the problem when government workers on another public works project noticed the MTA contractor discharging what appeared to be contaminated water into the Los Angeles River.

The water quality agency then sampled the water and found that the MTA was in violation of regulations on contamination.

The agency issued an abatement order, and now believes the MTA contractor has ceased dumping contaminated water at the Lankershim Boulevard location, although the water quality agency has yet to formally approve "everything that's been done out there," said Schultz.

Schultz said the MTA reported that the contamination probably came from chemical grouting materials.

Later, said Gonzalez, the MTA itself discovered the problem with the arsenic-treated wood.