While a train rumbled along the coastal bluffs through Summerland, Hillary Hauser filled the water dishes for her dogs. Awaiting the arrival of a piano student, the executive director of Heal the Ocean looked out toward the Channel Islands. She had a few minutes to reflect on seven years.

Founded in August of 1998 by herself and one recruit from the legal field, the powerful nonprofit and protector of South Coast waters has grown to 3,000 strong.

There was strength in numbers, but the forces of change have come in quality decisions of where to attack sources of contamination. In fact, it was the posting of “No Swimming” signs on local beaches that helped catalyze this locally based environmental movement that’s gone on to national and international acclaim.

The scene was set near the steps of the County Administration Building for- “a public demonstration about all the beach closures because of contaminants,” Hauser recalled. “I was angry, and wrote a 23-page editorial. People were crying and calling me with money to do something.”

Hauser acted swiftly. From a Thursday to Tuesday of the following week, she’d managed to set up the groundwork for a major announcement across the street from the Courthouse on the day of the demonstration.

Hauser met with politician Naomi Schwartz and a representative from Lois Capps’ office; brought on board clean water advocate and lawyer Jeff Young; written the 23-page editorial; secured a P.O. Box; and even come up with a name.

All this Hauser accomplished in time for the high-noon showdown on the steps of county headquarters at the corner of Anacapa and Anapamu streets.

“The public showed up in force - some with toilet seats over their heads and signs reading ‘Ocean or Outhouse?,’ Hauser continued. “We (Jeff Young and Hauser) raised our hands over our heads and announced ourselves. It was emotional. My theory has always been that when you hurt the ocean you hurt yourself.”

Hauser, Young and others soon set a course at tackling contamination sources. Surfers, divers, consultants and more legal experts joined forces with Heal the Ocean. In the meantime, local jurisdictions set aside funds for staff to try and identify sources of E Coli and other bacteria.

Most everyone agreed the ocean shores were hardest hit with closures following initial periods of heavy rains after dry spells. “When we started no one believed there was a problem with septic systems,” Hauser said. “But we continued testifying everywhere. We are finally getting rid of systems on the beach, near creeks and in shallow ground areas.”

First acknowledged as an advocate for the ocean statewide, Hauser said Heal the Ocean if now recognized nationally and worldwide. And that notoriety may soon be spreading.

“We’re on the verge of getting septic systems removed on seven miles of beach coming up this way from the Ventura/Santa Barbara county line,” she noted. “This includes at Rincon - a world class surf spot.”

With too many individuals and groups to name who have thrown support behind Heal the Ocean, Hauser still made a point of crediting those ocean fans in fins and wetsuits that commuters enjoy watching from ringside seats along Highway 101.

“It’s the surfers who love the Rincon,” Hauser said. “They encouraged me to write that editorial and do something about all of this. Many later

helped raise money to pay for sewage engineering reports and DNA testing that identified human waste from septic systems.”

The so-called “septic-to-sewer” focus involves switching users over from septic to sewer systems. But similar to other Heal the Ocean projects, Hauser and the team are insistent on being able to realize “concrete” improvements.

“Raising public consciousness is nice,” Hauser said. “But we need real changes in pipes and infrastructure. Many agencies deal in paper, numbers and columns and don’t see what’s physically happening, especially in 90 feet of water.”

To that end, Heal the Ocean is still celebrating a settlement between the Regional Water Quality Control Board, State Water Resources Control Board and the Goleta Sanitary District that was reached in November of 2004.

Under the agreement, the Goleta Sanitary District had to abandon a long-held waiver and upgrade its sewage treatment to full secondary treatment by November of 2014. Heal the Ocean had sought an end to the waiver after the sanitary district had applied for a five-year waiver extension in 2002.

“We’re quite proud of getting the Goleta Sanitary District to abandon its sewer waiver,” Hauser said. “That was a four-year battle involving lawyers, hearings and appeals. We put on diving gear and filmed sewage coming out off Goleta Beach. The filming tipped the scales and helped win the case.”

As the summer moves off toward August and yet another rainy season, Hauser encouraged interested individuals to sign up on the Web site at www.healtheocean.org

“We’re basically an army,” she said. “The more members we represent the stronger our voice.” And to this point, that voice has been plenty strong - toilet seat necklaces and all.

COURTESY PHOTO

Local diver and oceanic activist Hilary Hauser is also a patroness of the arts.