Nearly 300 cases of pollution in San Diego Bay were reported to the U.S. Coast Guard over the past 12 months, officials said.
The 289 investigations involved 3,800 gallons of pollution, everything from jet fuel to oil to toxins to diesel fuel to different types of lubricating oil.
The pollution came from several different sources, with many factors contributing to the fouling of the bay. The causes included driving cars that were not well-tuned or leaking oil, pet waste, recreational boats with valves not closed correctly, and, of course, water main breaks.
The U.S. Coast Guard stores all its data related to pollution cases in a MISLE -- Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement. -- data base.
"Anytime we see a large environmental disaster like the oil spill in the gulf, we're reminded that our waterways are fragile," Storm Water Supervisor Bill Harris said. "Our waterways are a resource that we all need to protect."
NBCSan Diego has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for portions of the MISLE data base.
